Eternity
by Asura Mori
Summary: The tale of Majora's Mask, spanning back to where it all first began - with two boys named Majora and Ayane, who would later become, respectively, the soul's of Majora's Mask and the Fierce Deity Mask. Yaoi, gender-bender. Majora/Ayane. Rated M.
1. The Trickster and the Warrior

Warning: This is a yaoi, if you hadn't guessed. Sorry all, it's just the type of writer I am. If you don't like it, then leave.

Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Zelda in any way, shape, or form… minus owning the games as in I bought them, of course.

The Trickster and the Warrior

By: Asura Mori

Eternity – time without beginning or end. In the minds of two young friends, that was exactly how much time they had. However, neither could have foreseen the heartache and misery that would soon be a part of their lives. To Ayane and Majora, eternity was something to look forward to... a friendship that would never end, sunsets that would never fall...

This is their story – the story of Majora's Mask and the Fierce Deity.

-0-0-0-0-

"You know, the people in the village think you're some kind of demon."

The sun beat down heavily upon the world, bringing with it the humid air of summer. Two teenage boys sat upon the edge of a cliff overlooking a large lake, both shirtless in the hot summer evening. One lay upon a boulder, while the other lay in the tall grass that surrounded their little haven. Off in the distance, the sun had just started to sink, bringing with it the dark reds of sundown.

Ayane, the boy who had spoken, looked over at his friend from his perch on the rock, his bare feet dangling over the edge. Majora, who was lying in the grass on his back, made a soft snort of laughter at his friend's earlier comment, apparently finding it funny. Both boys were wearing similar pants made of leather, though Majora's were a light brown compared to Ayane's black.

Majora, when standing, stood at an outstanding height of 6'3". He was somewhat muscular, though his body was lithe. Dark hair framed a lightly tanned face, golden eyes glittering eerily in the sun's falling light. He wore a bored expression most of the time that belied his inner thoughts and the aggressive way he held himself. And his looks, while ruggedly handsome, were not the standard of his people.

Ayane, on the other hand, looked very much like the other people in their village. He stood at an average height of 5'6", with long white hair that flowed down his back in waves. He was lithe like Majora, but in a more fragile, feminine way. Ethereal silver-blue eyes shone with a fierceness that didn't match his demeanor, his mouth firm in a well-proportioned, heart-shape face. He was very pale compared to Majora, but not in an unhealthy way.

The darker-haired teen sat up, his hand perched on his chin as he stared up at his friend. "Really now, why do they make up such rumors?" He chuckled, a wicked smile curving his lips. Ayane shrugged, though he smiled as well.

"Who knows? It could be because of that mask you wear every time you go out pranking. A lot of the younger kids think you're some kind of trickster-demon come to punish them for being bad." Both boys laughed, enjoying the absurdity of such thinking.

"A demon, eh? Dunno about that part. Now, trickster, I can understand." Majora tilted his head to the side, a mischievous grin on his face.

It was a well-known fact that Majora was the village's main troublemaker, due mostly to the pranks he would pull almost every day. The younger children feared him, thinking him some kind of imp, while the other kids looked on him with scorn (and some jealousy). The adults, however, had no patience for him and looked down on him.

"You know they only come up with these rumors because they have nothing better to do than to talk bad about someone behind their back." Majora continued, his gaze turning to look at the ground as he laughed humorlessly. "If I really was a demon, I'd be doing much worse things than standing outside someone's window at 4 in the morn and singing falsetto." He trailed off, leaving Ayane to wonder as to what he was thinking.

Nothing was said for the next few minutes, an awkward silence falling between the two young men. Finally, Ayane could stand it no longer. He stood, stretching, and yawned. "You ready to go yet, Majora?" He asked, but his friend shook his head. "I'll catch up with you in a minute…" Ayane watched as Majora's hand dropped to the blades of grass, the fingers curling around the plant and plucking it out without a second thought.

Something was bothering Majora and it worried Ayane that the other teen wouldn't talk to him about it. He dropped to his knees, his arms going around the other boy's neck as he leaned forward to hug him. Majora started, his golden eyes going wide, but then he calmed down and leaned into the hug with a small sigh of contentment.

Neither boy spoke, finding comfort in the embrace. Ayane, who knew all of Majora's secrets, had no doubt about what worried his friend. It was well-known throughout the village that Majora didn't belong, that he was what most called a mongrel. His father had been an outsider, looking a lot like Majora did now: dark hair, odd golden eyes, and very tall. His mother had been one of the "fairy folk", as Ayane and his people were called, and Majora had almost none of her features.

Majora's father had disappeared the day his wife announced she was pregnant, leaving Majora's mother alone to raise the child. She grew to hate Majora, blaming him for his father's departure, but Ayane believed that the real reason she disliked Majora was that he looked so much like his father.

Because his father was an outsider and because he looked nothing like his own mother, Majora was shunned by everyone in the village – including children his own age and younger.

All of that had changed the day Majora and Ayane met. During his childhood, Ayane had been a bit of a baby: quiet and shy. So, he was picked on a lot by the older kids. One day the teasing had gone too far and Ayane had been injured. Suddenly, Majora had appeared and had put an end to the teasing. He had helped Ayane get home and had stayed as close as possible while the injury was looked to. Ayane would never forget those golden eyes and the sincere worry they had held for him. After that, there was no question of their friendship.

However, that didn't stop people from shunning Majora. As life went on, things started to change. Ayane became accepted by the other children, but Majora was still left in the dark. Even when they walked together, the villagers would ignore Majora completely, even if talking to him. They would turn to Ayane instead and ask him "How is Majora?" or "Are you still hanging out with that damned rascal?" It really was enough to drive anyone crazy and Majora had done the only he could do to get attention: he became a trickster.

His father had left a most curious mask behind when he left – a heart-shaped mask with spikes protruding from the edges and a numerous amount of symbols on it. Whenever Majora went out to prank, he would don this mask. Ayane wasn't sure, but he thought Majora did it to get back at his old man. Wearing this mask, Majora would pull pranks on anyone who caught his attention, hoping to impress at least one person. But no one cared for his pranks, looking at him with contempt and hatred. And now, even the little kids feared Majora…

"I'm sorry…" Ayane muttered into his friend's shoulder, his silver-blue eyes filling up with tears, "I didn't mean to hurt you with the villagers' talk." Majora didn't answer for a while, but when he did, his voice was soft with thanks. "It was never your fault to begin with, so don't apologize. You could never hurt me, dear friend." The tears fell then and Ayane cried at the unfairness of it all.

The evening bells rang out from the village, demanding that they return to the safety of its confines, but the two teenagers ignored it, choosing instead to watch the setting sun, both of their hearts heavy with their own grief.

To be continued…

Asura: I did change some things – mostly the fact that Majora wears his mask all the time. Instead of constantly wearing it, Majora only wears the mask when he's pulling pranks. It makes a little more sense, at least to me.

Also, I know I said this in a later chapter, but ETERNITY is basically a prologue for my other story REQUIEM. Even when ETERNITY ends, the story won't be over yet. So, read on to learn more of Ayane and Majora, even after this has ended.


	2. Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing

By: Asura Mori

Ayane and Majora made it back to the village just in time to beat the closing gates, earning disapproving scowls from the guards. Majora glared at them, golden eyes seeming red in the distant sun, and they visibly shuddered, one even muttering something under his breath. Ayane glared at that one, making his own dislike for the guards known, and the two friends walked through the gates and into the village, standing side by side.

More stares were directed their way when they entered, but those people quickly averted their eyes when they saw Majora. Ayane felt his friend stiffen beside him and turned to look at him, silver-blue eyes filled with concern. The brunette glanced back at him and shook his head miserably, before letting his shoulders slump. The white-haired teen reached over and intertwined his fingers with those of his friend's, ignoring the sharp intakes of breath he heard around him.

"Come on." He muttered, glowering at those villagers who openly scowled, "I'll walk you home." But Majora pulled away from him, shaking his head. "It's okay…" He muttered, glancing down at the ground, "You just head on home… I can walk home alone. Besides…" The brunette took a quick glance around and then lowered his head again, shielding himself from the villager's angry looks.

Without another word the teen ran off, leaving Ayane standing in the dust. Ayane watched him go, his hand outstretched, but he made no move to follow the other boy. The whispers of the villagers filled his ears and he felt a flash of anger. How dare these people judge Majora, when they themselves were not perfect? So what if he looked different from all of them? It wasn't like Majora could control who he looked like, after all. Damn them and their prejudice!

An older man of the village dared to walk up to him, his shoulders set back straight and strong. "It is good that he went on his own, Master Ayane." The old man, an Elder of the council, explained nasally. Ayane turned and glared at him, but the Elder wasn't disturbed in the least.

"It is time that you start behaving like the man you will soon become, my lord." The man continued, matching the younger man stare for stare, "You are sixteen years of age and will soon lead us in your father's stead. You must learn to make decisions that are hard-"

"So you would have me discriminate against one of our own, just because he is different from us?" Ayane asked his tone low. The older man recognized that he had crossed a line and almost backed down. But then he stopped and stood even straighter, staring down his nose at Ayane.

"Majora is not one of us." He stated calmly, a dangerous glint in his eye, "His father was not of our tribe and should not have been allowed into our village. It was a mistake, and now Naomi must pay for it…"

"Majora was not a mistake!" Ayane yelled, his hands fisting at his sides, his voice rising so that all could hear him. "Majora is a human being, just like the rest of us, and yet you judge him because of who his parents were? Is Naomi not one of our own? Do you deny the fact that Majora has our blood running through is veins?"

"I deny nothing, my lord. I only stress that your befriending this… _mongrel_ will lead to dire consequences in the end. His blood is tainted with that of an outsider. Hear me now, Ayane, son of Tyr, that boy will bring destruction to our clan."

A chill ran down Ayane's spine at the words, but he refused to back down. "You are wrong." He hissed, stepping back and shaking his head, "Majora is one of us and he is my friend. I will not allow you to chase him away, regardless of his parentage!"

And with that he turned his back on the old man and walked back to his house, ignoring the urgent whispering of those around him. Yes, he would be clan leader some day, but that didn't mean he had to cut Majora off from him. Majora was one of them…

He would make them see that.

-0-0-0-0-

Majora walked home alone, ignoring the jeering of the other kids around him and the pointed whispers of the adults. It was something he was used to, he told himself, ignoring the ache in his chest. Rejection, after all, was something no one was able to "get used to."

The thought of going home filled him with dread, but he knew there would be no way for him to sneak to Ayane's tonight. Tyr, the current clan leader and Ayane's father, would be home tonight, which meant there would be no safe haven for him this night. Tyr hated him with a passion, much more so than anyone else in the village. Majora wasn't certain, but he had a feeling that it had something to do with his mother, Namoi...

Nausea welled up inside of his stomach at the thought of his mother. Ever since his father had left, his mother had grown… _unstable_. She talked to herself constantly and wasn't allowed out in public. Because of this, Naomi took out her frustrations on her only companion: Majora.

So he walked through the door with trepidation, his heart heavy. And there she was, standing the doorway, hands on her hips as she regarded him with a smile. "There you are, my lo-"

The smile disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. Anger swirled in her silver-blue eyes and she launched herself forward, screeching. "You!" She screamed, clawing at her son, his arms, anything she could reach. "You made him go away! You made him disappear! Give him back to me! Give me my husband back!"

Majora didn't even try to calm her down, just took the hits without saying anything. A single tear ran down his face, but it was ignored and quickly forgotten. All he could do was wrap his arms around his mother as she fell to the floor crying, his face upturned toward the heavens as he once again asked the goddesses why he'd even been born.

-0-0-0-0-

Sometime during the night, Ayane heard the weirdest sound. He sat up in his bed, confused, before realizing that it was coming from his window. He slid out of bed and started toward it, opening the shutters as he went. He glanced out, puzzled. There he saw Majora, standing in the rain.

"Majora? What are you doing here?" He jumped out of the window, reaching out towards his friend. And then he saw the cuts, the bruises, the claw marks. "Oh goddesses. I'm so sorry," He muttered, wrapping his arms around the brunette, "I should have been there to-"

"To what?"

The question startled the white-haired teen, who pulled back to regard his friend. Majora stared back at him, golden eyes unreadable. "What exactly could you have done, Ayane?" The brunette asked, rephrasing the question. "Pull her off of me? Be a scapegoat?" He shook his head, golden eyes closing. "There was nothing that could have prevented this."

"But…"

"What would you have done?" Majora asked again, now glaring at his friend, "I couldn't come here and I have nowhere else to go. Everyone in this village hates me and it's all because of how I look. Even my own mother…"

"Majora…" Ayane tried to hug his friend again, but Majora shouldered him away. "No," he muttered, "I don't want your sympathy. I don't even know why I came here…" Majora looked over Ayane's shoulder then and grimaced, golden eyes narrowing. Ayane turned to see what his friend was staring at and stiffened, seeing his father standing in the doorway.

Tyr looked down at Majora as if the boy was the lowest of the low, not even worth the dirt he walked upon. An angry scowl was etched on his face, his hands crossed over his bare chest. "Ayane, get inside now." He ordered, staring at Majora all the while.

"Father…" Ayane pleaded, silver-blue eyes fearful. Tyr cut him off, holding up his hand and gesturing inside. "Now, Ayane." He barked, blue eyes still fixated on Majora. "I don't want you anywhere near that _thing_." Majora flinched as the words cut into him, but otherwise didn't show how much it hurt him to hear it.

"Father, please!" Ayane growled, moving closer to Majora. "That's enough! Can't you see that this is all so pointless-"

His father was outside so fast that neither Majora nor Ayane had time to blink. All that told the white-haired teen that his father had moved was the stinging slap against his cheek. Blue eyes widened in surprise and Ayane lifted a hand to his face, eyes brimming with tears.

"Inside. Now." Tyr growled, placing himself between Majora and Ayane. "Never again, _monster_, do I want to see you outside my house." He snarled at Majora, earning a golden-eyed glare. "My wife is more lenient that myself. Oh yes, I know about how you've been spending the nights here to get away from your mother." He said, to the surprise of the two boys.

"But no more. You come here again and I will put down like the animal you are."

The threat was not idly spoken and made the brunette step back, his amber orbs showing first confusion, then hurt, and then anger. Before Ayane could say anything, Majora was gone, fleeing into the night.

Instead he turned on his father. "You've gone too far this time, father." He growled, blue eyes flashing. "You have no right to-" "No right?" Tyr asked, his tone dangerous. Ayane bit at his lip, breaking off his words, as his father continued. "You obviously don't know your duty to your people, my son. That… _child_ is a monstrosity that should have never been born."

"Learn your place quickly, my son… or I shall have to teach it to you myself."

Tyr went back inside, leaving his son standing in the rain. Ayane looked between his home and where Majora had run off, his expression helpless. He shut his eyes and opened them again, his decision made.

He ran after Majora.

-0-0-0-0-

Majora ran until he couldn't run anymore, his hands dropping to his knees as he tried to steady himself and breathe normally. Tyr's words – hell, the entire clan's words – burned deep in his heart, making it that much harder to breathe. He wanted to scream out at the world, but held it in, instead looking up at the sky and letting the rain hit his face.

Why? Why were the goddesses so cruel to him? Why did they make him live this life, when it obviously had no meaning? Nothing he did... nothing would ever make these people see him for him... so why...

"Majora, please, wait!"

He turned in surprise, his golden eyes wide in disbelief as he looked to see Ayane running after him. Ayane had chased after him... He didn't have time to ponder it as Ayane suddenly tripped. Without thinking about it, Majora moved forward to catch his friend and couldn't help but giggle."You're such a klutz." Then he grew serious once more, helping Ayane to stand. "You shouldn't have followed me. Your father-"

"Damn my father to the farthest pits of Hell." Ayane growled, hugging the brunette. "I will not allow him to dictate my life and I will not let you be alone. We're friends, Majora, and that means a lot in this world…"

"Apparently not." Majora chuckled sadly, pushing the other teen back to look at him. "You and I both know that friendship doesn't last forever… soon, you and I-"

"Don't you dare finish what you were about to say." Blue eyes sparked with anger. "You and I – we are eternal. Our friendship is eternal. I will not let other people tell me who I can and cannot be with."

"Eternity doesn't last forever, despite what they say." Majora said, his voice quiet. Ayane trembled visibly, tears filling his eyes. "Majora, please…" He whispered, his head falling down to the taller teen's chest. "Please don't…"

Majora regarded Ayane's bent head for a while, without saying anything. And then he sighed and brushed his fingers along the other boy's chin, forcing Ayane to look up. "I won't leave you, Ayane…" He whispered, bending his head down to kiss the other boy hard on the lips. He started to draw back, but Majora's grip on his chin was strong, forcing him to stay put. He let out a little gasp, allowing the brunette entrance, and felt a tongue slide into his mouth.

Another gasp followed this intrusion, one more of confusion. Something was happening in his body, making it heat up. He blushed suddenly, feeling a hand slide down his stomach and lower, reaching toward a certain spot. He pushed away from the darker-haired boy and turned to grab onto a nearby tree, his legs suddenly weak.

Panting, Ayane turned to look at Majora. Golden eyes stared back at him, filled with… lust? But then Majora turned away from him and he started to walk away, leaving Ayane with all sorts of questions, but no voice with which to speak them. He watched his friend leave and had to ask himself…

What had just happened?

To be continued…


	3. Separate Roads

Separate Roads

By: Asura Mori

Majora ran almost blindly. He couldn't believe what he'd just done. How could he have done that to Ayane, to the one person who meant more to him than life? He had promised himself that he would always keep his feelings to himself, so that Ayane would never learn the truth.

_So that Ayane would never hate him._

The white-haired teen had said their friendship was eternal, that not even time could end their friendship. But after what he had done to Ayane… Their friendship would come to an end. Ayane would become just like the others, looking down on him with scorn and hate…

And that was something he just couldn't handle. He couldn't lose Ayane, not when Ayane was the only thing he couldn't bear to lose...

Tears streamed down his face, mixing with the rain as they fell to the ground. His foot hit something hard and he went sprawling into the mud. But he didn't get up, knowing that this was where he belonged, in the mud, as the lowest of beings. He had ruined his only chance at being human…

"Ayane…"

The brunette pushed himself up onto his knees and raised his head to the sky, closing his eyes so that he could feel the rain wash upon his skin. Raindrops mixed with tears, leaving tracks of water to fall down his cheeks, but still Majora stayed in place.

To let the rain wash away his sins…

-0-0-0-0-

Ayane walked back to his house, more than a little confused. He didn't understand. Why had Majora kissed him like that? And why had he reacted the way he had? He blushed again, remembering the warmth that had flooded his body when the brunette had touched him, their tongues intertwined as Majora avidly explored his mouth.

But he didn't understand why. They were just friends, right? So why had Majora kissed him like that... Like they were more than friends... He brushed a finger along his lips, feeling where they were swollen from the kiss. They were just friends...

But then why had he enjoyed it so much?

-0-0-0-0-

Ayane left his house and went out into the village very early the next day. He searched everywhere he thought Majora would be, but couldn't find the other teen. Then, he just waited. He went to their favorite spot outside the village and sat upon the rock there, just staring at the lake. The blue-green waters swirled and splashed, tantalizing in their freedom.

If the two of them had been free to do what they wanted, would they have taken to the water hoping to escape from this life? If he hadn't been bound by his duty to his people, would he have run off with Majora and tried to make a new life? If Majora weren't scorned by the villagers, would they have been happy? Would they be happier still if they could have been together without being looked upon with hate? If Majora were accepted as he was…?

All of it was speculation. Ayane was bound by his duty and Majora by his fate. Neither of them could escape.

The thought made Ayane want to cry. It wasn't fair. Majora had done nothing, except been born. How could so many people hate him for just being born…?

"_That boy will bring destruction to our clan."_

But why? Recalling the words made him want to scream, but they also scared him. The words had been said as if a prophecy. Ayane couldn't believe it though. Majora would never…

Or would he? The doubt came then, remembering how many times the villagers had snubbed the brunette. How many times they had hurt him, scorned him… How many times they had left him alone, crying…

No. Ayane wouldn't allow it. One day, Majora would be accepted. The villagers would have no choice. Majora would prove himself to them, though he shouldn't have had to… And then they would respect him…

They would have to…

"What are you doing here, Ayane?"

The white-haired teen turned at the question, silver-blue eyes widening as he saw Majora standing behind him. "There you are…" He said, a smile curving his lips. He stood and took a step towards the brunette, but Majora took a step back, his eyes narrowed. Ayane stopped in his advances and cocked his head to the side, confused at the boy's response.

"What's wrong…?" He asked when Majora said nothing. The brunette just stared at him, golden eyes still narrowed. "Don't you remember what happened last night…?" Majora finally said, looking away from Ayane. The other teen blushed heavily and also looked away. Neither spoke for a moment.

"Yes…" Ayane answered after a few minutes, "I remember and…" "And?" Majora asked, still not looking at the other teen. "I… I feel the same… about… you." The brunette glanced up, a mix of disbelief and hope in his eyes. "Really…?" He asked, though he still didn't move towards Ayane.

"Really." Blue eyes jumped up to meet golden, resolve showing in the ocean-like orbs. Ayane took another step forward and paused, waiting to see if Majora would step back again. The brunette didn't and Ayane took a breath, before going up to the other teen and wrapping his arms around Majora's waist. Then he leaned forward and place a delicate kiss on the other boy's lips, surprising both of them.

Majora wasn't sure how to respond at first. But when he realized that Ayane wasn't pulling away from him, he let his arms wrap around the other boy comfortably. He kissed back, feeling his body respond to Ayane's closeness. Ayane, too, felt himself becoming a lot warmer. The kiss began to get more passionate-

And then the bell rang.

The two boys jumped apart, each sporting a heavy blush. They glanced at each other and then looked away, embarrassed. Majora turned first, starting back towards the village, and was pleasantly surprised when Ayane slipped his hand into his. Golden eyes glanced at blue, and then a smile caressed his face. He tightened the hold and Ayane smiled as well.

They walked back into the village together, not a care in the world…

And were greeted at the entrance by none other than Tyr himself.

By the stormy look on the older man's face, there was no doubt in either boy's minds that he had seen what had just occurred. "Father…" Ayane started, but Tyr held up his hand, glaring only at Majora. "You dare…" He snarled, approaching the brunette with clenched fists, "You dare dirty my son,_ mongrel_? I will not allow it!"

Tyr grabbed Ayane's arm and pulled the two apart. Majora didn't fight back, his golden eyes angry. Ayane stood beside his father, who still clutched his arm, and bit his lip. "Father, please…" He said, trying to pull away, "You're hurting me…"

"This is nothing compared to what he would have done to you." The leader of the clan growled, shaking the boy's arm. "He would have done so much more to you, claiming you in a way that a male claims a female. Because that is all he sees you as. If he can claim you, maybe he can join the clan. Am I not right, _mongrel_?!"

"Father, stop this." Ayane growled, pulling his arm free from his father's grasp. "This has gone far enough. Majora has done nothing to deserve your ire. You all persecute him for something his parents did. Yet when he does his best to please you and the villagers, you-"

"Enough." Tyr snapped, stepping forward to grab Ayane once again. But the white-haired teen evaded and fell back to Majora's side, intertwining his fingers with the brunette's once again.

"No, it's not enough!" Ayane yelled, silver-blue eyes glittering angrily. "It will never be enough! Everything you've done to Majora, every hurtful look or word you've given him… Nothing I say can ever express the pain you've bestowed upon him! But I will not accept it, father. You cannot make me stop. Majora is my friend… No, he's more than that to me! We are bound by fate, by our souls, and there is nothing you can do about it!"

"Ayane…" Majora whispered, his golden eyes looking around fearfully, "Stop this. You're just causing a scene. Nothing you say will make them understand… And I will not drag you into this…"

"Nothing I can do, eh?" Tyr asked, his blue eyes, so much like Ayane's own, shining with malice. He turned his attention to the brunette, a smirk crossing his features. "Majora, you are hereby banished from the village for the crime of attacking a prominent member of the council. If you ever set foot in here again, you will be killed on sight."

Ayane and Majora looked at each other, confused. "What are you talking about father?" Ayane yelled back. "Majora did nothing of the sort!" Majora stepped forward, his golden eyes angry. "I was home all night!" He snapped, glaring at Tyr, "And half of the night was spent with your son!"

Whispers started up at that, but Tyr waved them away, his smirk growing. "Yes, but my son returned before the crime was committed. You have no alibi, Majora, and I have a witness to your actions." He waved the victim, a man in his late thirties, and another, a woman in her late twenties, forward. "Tell the clan what you told me this morning."

The man wrung his hands as he glared at Majora, his head bandaged and bruises all over his face. "I was taking a walk with my wife," here he inclined his head to the younger woman, "in the early hours of the morning when we heard a noise coming from the woods outside of Naomi's dwelling. When we called out, we received no answer. So we turned to go about our way, when suddenly Majora appeared before us, wearing that damned mask of his!"

Majora's eyes were wide with shock. He remembered none of this! "You lie!" He growled, "I did no such thing!"

"You are the liar!" The woman screamed back at him. "You attacked my husband without warning, yelling about how it was 'justice' that my husband be the first to suffer! You damned imp!"

The whispers of the other villagers grew, an ugly undertone in their words. Ayane looked around uneasily, then focused his gaze on Majora, who was shaking, his fists clenched at his sides. "I did no such thing." He growled once more, golden eyes molten as he glared at Tyr.

Tyr's face took on a mask of pity, but that was all it was – a mask. "I have your word against his, Majora, and he has a witness. My decision stands. You are banished, never to set foot within our village again. Depart before dawn tomorrow, or-"

"I contest this decision!" Ayane suddenly said, stepping forward to grab Majora's hand once more. "He has not had a trial in which-"

"You are only sixteen years of age, not yet old enough to contest my decision." Tyr answered, still looking smug, "And as the leader of our clan, I carry the weight of the final decision. As I have said, Majora is hereby banished. Never again will you be recognized as a member of this village."

Majora laughed then, a cold sound that froze the blood of everyone listening. "You take from me what I never had." He chuckled, shaking with the effort. Ayane glanced at him with a concerned look, feeling the tremors through their joined hands. "You never considered me a 'member of the clan.' To you, and everyone else here, except for Ayane, I was a _mongrel_, nothing more than dirt." Majora continued, golden eyes locking with those of Tyr, "All because my mother didn't spread her legs for you. You were just angry because she slept with another man!"

Ayane blinked at this information and turned to look at his father, who was glowering at Majora. The brunette had hit a sore point. Naomi had been engaged to Tyr, but had run off the day before the wedding with another man – an outsider. She had returned a few months later, heavy with child, and Tyr had been forced to marry another woman. Tyr had never forgiven her and Naomi was forced to live alone, with her unwanted child.

"Fine…" Majora finally said after a moment's silence, causing everyone to look at him, "I will leave. There is nothing here for me, besides Ayane. But then… you would just have taken him from me as well."

"Get. Out." Tyr snarled, practically frothing at the mouth. Ayane stepped forward, blue eyes hard. "If he has to go then-"

"NO!" Majora stopped the other teen before he could finish. "You have to stay here. I told you… I will not drag you any further into this." "But…" Ayane looked furious, glancing between Majora and his father, "He can't do this to you…"

"I know. That's why I need you here. When you turn eighteen, you can change the law." Majora smiled, though it was slightly bitter. "What's two years in the lifetime we could spend together…?"

"Majora…"

"Ayane… I love you." He leaned forward and the two boys met for one last passionate kiss, not caring who saw. A collective gasp went throughout the village. Tyr let loose an angry roar and jumped forward, clawing the two apart. He dragged Ayane away from Majora, who just stood there for the longest time.

Ignoring the rest of the villagers, he went first to his house and gathered up his few belongings – namely the mask that his father had left him. He stared down at it, the irony of his banishment not lost on him. Once again, his father had screwed him, though how he didn't know. He heard his mother moaning in the next room, but didn't bother to say anything to her. Maybe her life would be better, now that he was leaving. Then again, maybe it wouldn't be. Who knew.

With a sigh, Majora left the house of his birth, ignoring the stares of all as he went back towards the village square. The only thing he would miss about this place was Ayane...

Two years…

It wasn't nearly as long as eternity.

To be continued…


	4. Majora

Majora

By: Asura Mori

Majora walked into the middle of the village, his head held high. His heart, however, sat like a rock in his stomach. He'd put on a brave front before Ayane and the rest of the clan, but really, the village was all he'd ever known. It was the only home he'd ever had and now he didn't even have that. Goddesses, what had he done to deserve all of this...?

'Oh right,' he thought sardonically, 'I was born.'

It didn't matter that he couldn't control such a thing. He was the fall guy for his parents' mistakes, as was now evident with his current situation. He let out a soft sigh and stiffened his shoulders. He wouldn't let any of them see his weakness, wouldn't let them hurt him anymore than they already had.

His steps only faltered when he came to the gate leading outside. Good goddesses, this was really it... He was really being banished. It wasn't some sick joke or horrible nightmare; this was real. Pain spread throughout his chest and he suddenly couldn't breathe. This was real – so freaking real that he wished he could wake up and call it a dream.

"Get out already, monster!"

Majora snapped out of his reprieve and looked to the source of the outburst. A small boy stood off to the side, his small fists clenched at his sides. He was shaking with repressed fear, but still he looked on Majora with determination. It was the boy's eyes that shook Majora. They were cold and unfeeling, as if Majora truly were some monster that needed to be expelled from the village.

He didn't say anything back, knowing any thing he said would just be ignored. To everyone else, he _was_ a monster. So he just looked at the boy for a few seconds longer, letting his sadness permeate the air, before turning his gaze to the outside world. He forced himself to start walking again, ignoring the jeers and hateful words that followed him out. He had barely left the village when the gate slammed shut behind him, making him flinch.

His heart broke then, but he forced himself to keep walking. He walked past the cliff – _their _cliff, _their _sanctuary – with only a small amount of hesitation. He almost stopped there, almost looked out at the sea, but steeled his heart. Two years, he kept repeating to himself, just two years...

Two years was still a long time.

-0-0-0-0-

Majora had no idea where he was going. He had been walking for hours and yet it seemed like he was going in circles. About two hours from the village had been a huge forest. He had looked for a way around, but it seemed there was no way around. He'd finally given up and just accepted that it was his fate to go through the woods. And now here he was, lost like no other.

He finally gave up when he entered an area he'd already seen ten times before. Two stumps sat across from each other, one much taller than the other. The brunette sat on the smaller of the two, placing his head between his knees and his hands behind his neck. He was so freaking tired...

Majora's eyes slowly started to drift shut. He was so tired... a quick nap wouldn't hurt him too much. It wasn't like he had anywhere he really needed to be... He leaned back on the stump to get more comfortable and had just started to close his eyes when something caught his attention.

He sat up and dropped his hand to the pouch he wore on his right leg, where he had a variety of knives. He stared at the spot where he'd seen the thing, wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him. "Come out. I know you're there." He growled, fingering the pouch's opening.

At first, nothing happened. The first indication he got that there was something there was a scratching noise. Something was moving along the far wall, coming out of the shadows. And then it presented itself and Majora dropped his hand from his pouch. A small Skull Kid stood before him, staring up at him with golden eyes from beneath his little hat. He had a wooden pipe clutched tightly his hands and he was looking at Majora with interest, as if trying to figure out why the teen was sitting there.

Majora stared at the little creature with something akin to shock, especially when it slowly started to approach him. He didn't understand why it hadn't taken off at the first sight of him. After all, he was a monster... wasn't he? Or maybe it did make sense... Skull Children were considered to be monsters after all... He smiled sadly, his golden eyes piercing as he watched the Skull Kid approach. Like attracted like apparently.

The Skull Kid looked up at him with unassuming eyes, the wooden pipe still clutched tightly in its hands. Majora pondered on how like the other little boy this Skull Kid was, except that this child wasn't afraid of him, only curious. He smiled when the child held out his hand and took it into his own, marveling at its smallness. The Skull Kid smiled up at him disarmingly and Majora couldn't help but match it with his own grin.

Maybe... this was where he belonged. Looking at the Skull Kid smiling up at him, he could almost believe it. The pain in his heart, however, told him that he would never really belong anywhere. But at least here, he had someone who accepted him for who he was...

Even if that someone was also considered a monster.

He started off with the Skull Kid, then stopped when he felt his father's mask clip his leg almost painfully. He looked down at it, remembering that he had tied it near his waist before he left. Hesitantly Majora reached down and lifted the mask before his face, studying the markings on it.

'Why not?' He wondered to himself, before slipping the mask on. Why not look like a monster as well?

-0-0-0-0-

Majora let the little Skull Kid lead him through the woods, their hands clasped tightly together the entire time. Eventually they came upon a bigger group of Skull Children, who watched him with a certain wariness at first. Over time they started to let their guard down and welcome him into their family and Majora slowly started to forget about the clan and the village.

For the Lost Woods, as it would later become known, was not one to let its prey go once it has been caught...

-0-0-0-0-

~A few months later~

Majora crouched in the treetops, hidden by only a few well placed branches. He was stark naked, except for his mask, using his darker skin tone to his advantage. Below him paced a man, his woman sitting on a stump that had become precious to the teen. The man and woman both looked similar in color to Majora, their ears round like his, but both sported lighter hair coloring; the man blonde and the woman a light brown. The man was dressed casually with a long-sleeved white shirt and light brown leather pants, his feet adorned in sturdy leather boots. The woman wore a long smock the color of the sky, her feet clad in simple slippers. In her arms she carried a small bundle of blankets, from which a soft sobbing could be heard.

The teen cocked his head at the noise, recognition dimly registering before he pushed the thought violently away. It didn't matter after all. These people had walked into his domain, without his permission, and by the laws of the woods, they would never leave. And he would have new friends to play with.

He smiled at the thought and watched the couple with increasing delight, marveling at the way the man seemed to get more and more angry with every passing second. The woman looked close to tears as she tried to soothe the crying baby, her pretty gray eyes bright with grief. The husband glared around angrily and kicked the stump, displaying his anger with the situation. Majora didn't like the man so much now; after all, that was his stump the man was kicking. His dismay slowly turned to satisfaction though when the man stumbled back a bit and yawned.

Glancing over at the woman, he saw that her eyes had already drifted shut. It wouldn't be long now, he thought with glee, golden eyes bright behind his mask. He dropped to the forest floor silently and watched the couple from a distance. The man had sat upon the ground now, his back leaning against the stump on which his wife sat. His eyes were also closed, his breathing starting to take on a deep, throaty noise. The woman had also lain down, her baby cupped to her bosom protectively as she lay on her side. Both woman and child breathed deeply and evenly, as Majora slowly made his way over to them.

He looked down at the baby with curious eyes, unable to remember the last time he'd seen such a small child. Its face was peaceful in sleep, its lips puckered out as it suckled on its own hand. He would have thought the scene beautiful in another lifetime, a woman holding her child so lovingly. But his heart ached at the sight, reminding him of his own mother and how she hadn't held him like that. How she'd scorned and hated the sight of him, unable to even touch him, let alone hold him.

Unable to bear the loving sight of mother and child any longer, the brunette reached out and plucked the baby from the sleeping woman's arms. A Skull Kid appeared behind him and he handed the baby off to it, his golden eyes hard as he glared at the couple. 'Let them wake and wonder,' he thought, smiling cruelly, 'Let them search for their beloved child and drown in their sorrow. Soon, it won't matter anymore.'

He turned his back on them and leapt back into the trees, the Skull Kid already gone with the baby. Majora watched as first the woman awoke, a dazed expression on her face as she sat up. Her reaction was immediate. She looked down and saw her child gone, then began to scream and wail. Her husband awoke next, startled at the sound of his wife's despair. He rose and went to her, holding her in his arms, asking what was wrong. She cried and gestured, and finally the man understood that the child was missing.

The couple wandered for hours in search of their baby, slowly changing from human to something... else. The child too, slowly changed, though his form was much more recognizable as that of a Skull Child. Eventually the newly created monster couple forgot their search and joined the rest of the shade-like beings that wandered the woods, forever trapped in the never ending hell of the Lost Woods.

Majora watched it all with a satisfied grin, his hunger abated for the time being. He turned his back to the new residents of the Lost Woods and slowly made his way home, whistling along the way.

-0-0-0-0-

~A year later~

He sniffed the ground with quiet certainty, knowing his prey was near. Behind him, a group of Skull Kids giggled amongst themselves, quieting only when Majora gave them a look. While he could appreciate their frivolity, he needed them to be silent or else the game would be over and their target would get away. He gestured at them to back off, then up ahead to where their "friend" was hiding. The Skull Children nodded and jumped back, disappearing into the shadows as one, til only one of them remained. This one was the small child who had greeted Majora nearly a year and a half ago, only now the Skull Kid was no longer so small. It grinned at Majora and tipped its hat to the teen, before displaying its flute to the brunette.

Majora regarded the flute for a second, then also smiled and nodded. The Skull Kid immediately flipped back onto a nearby stump and started to play a catchy tune, shuffling from side to side as it played. Majora's grin grew even wider when his prey peeked her head out from behind a huge oak, her eyes wide as she watched the dancing monster. He waited til she wandered out a bit more, blue orbs narrowed with wariness as she looked for him. Oh yes, she knew he was there, he could smell it in her fear of him. It only made the game that much sweeter.

When she was about halfway between the tree and his little Skull Kid, he pounced. He snuck up from behind her, using the shadows to appear from the very tree she'd been hiding from, and knocked her to the ground. She struggled to get back to her feet, her fear permeating the very air, and then froze when Majora straddled her hips. In her struggles she had managed to turn herself, so that now she was looking straight at Majora. Her face brightened when she realized that Majora was completely nude, though her eyes were quizzical when she came upon the heart-shaped mask he wore.

She started to speak, but stopped when she felt a hand slide under her dress. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked at the wild man in front of her, her blush only growing darker. He leaned forward so that his mouth was next to her ear and let his hot breath slide gently against the lobe. Her eyes had become dazed as his hand slowly worked his way down beneath her skirts and then he spoke, his voice no higher than a whisper. She struggled to hear him, still utterly entranced with his motions, when he just stopped. She blinked, confused, then concentrated on his voice.

"... Just playing." He chuckled and drew back with a bark of laughter. From all around appeared the Skull Children, who joined in with him. The girl's face took on a darker red, though this was not from lust, but from indignation. She stood and straightened her shirt and skirt, giving Majora a dirty look. "You're nothing but an animal!" She screeched, drawing silence from the woods. Majora gave her a bored look and slowly approached her. She froze again, suddenly afraid.

"Just because I'm a monster doesn't mean I'll have my way with you. You're worth nothing to me, since in a few hours time, you'll be nothing but a new decoration in these woods." He said, grinning evilly, and for just a second, it seemed like the mask sported the same evil grin, causing the girl to step back.

"W-what do you m-mean...?" She finally asked, scared, "I-I've got to get home... I was just trying to take a short cut..." She stopped as she saw that Majora was shaking his head, his hands on his hips. "No no," he chuckled, "I'm afraid you're already home, princess. You see..." He waved his hand around, indicating the woods themselves, "Once the forest has you, it keeps you. And there's no turning back." He regarded her, almost sadly, as he adopted a stage whisper. "So you see, you chose the wrong place to take a short cut through and now... You'll never leave. Welcome home, princess."

The girl screamed in denial and took off running. The Skull Children watched her go, giggling to themselves and Majora smiled as well. It looked like they were about to have a little sister join their merry little band. How very entertaining. They all howled to the sky when her hysterical screams stopped and blissful silence filled the woods. Moments later, a small Deku Scrub wandered into the area and came right up to Majora, its dark eyes confused and lost. He smiled and picked it up, cradling it to his chest like a father his daughter.

Later that night they threw a small party, with music and dancing to be had. Majora watched it all from the sidelines, his heart warm with the sight. Tonight, they would have fun. Tomorrow, another game to be had. For the Lost Woods was always looking for more to join its little family.

To be continued...


	5. Ayane

Ayane

By: Asura Mori

Ayane watched Majora leave with a deep-seated despair, underlied by rage. He wanted to scream, wanted to cry at the unfairness. He turned to his father, intending to do just that, only to have Tyr smack him across the face. Hard.

"You have no idea of the shame you have given me this day. To think you would whore yourself out to that, that _thing_." His father hissed, grabbing his son's wrist and forcing Ayane to look up at him. Blue eyes, so much like Ayane's own, looked down at him with disgust and disappointment, only serving to fuel the teen's own anger.

"I have shamed _you_?!" Ayane growled, pulling away from his father. "You call me 'whore' and degrade me by saying that I have spread my legs to Majora, when you know that nothing of the sort has happened! You called attention to Majora and me, then banished him for no reason more than his being born to the wrong father! You and I both know he did not lay his hands on that man! And now you slander my good name, all because he is my-"

Tyr cut him off with another harsh slap, bringing tears to the white-haired teen's eyes. His cheek and eyes burning with unshed tears, Ayane glared up at his father, refusing to let the man see him cry. Instead, he let his grief and anger over Majora's banishment shine clearly in his eyes, let his father see just how much turmoil he really was in. But he would not cry. To do so would be to admit defeat, to admit that Tyr had actually won this round.

And that he just couldn't allow.

His father continued to gaze down at him for several more moments, a frown etched onto his face. Finally he looked away and down, letting out a long suffering sigh. "Eoroan." He said the name without a care, his eyes closed in thought. A young man of eighteen stepped forward at the call and kneeled before Tyr, his right hand fisted tightly over his heart.

He was dressed in a short-sleeved, dark green belly-shirt that cut off right above his ribs. A thin, black belt ran the width of his well-toned stomach, starting down near his hip and encircling around his ribs, and back down. Light brown leather pants covered his legs and were tucked into knee-high, laced boots of a darker color. A carrying belt hugged his hips in almost the same manner as the belt around his waist, but it was of a more tannish color and held a variety of bottles and the like. Braces covered both of his arms where the sleeves cut off, with the right hand alone being covered a small, light brown glove that covered only three of his fingers.

Short, white hair that resembled the color of snow, hung loosely around a heart-shaped face. Two braids framed his face, reaching down and brushing past his shoulders ever so slightly. His pointed ears poked out slightly from beneath his short hair and barely visible in the right ear was a small blue earring, marking him as a man amongst their tribe. His skin was a dusty golden color from all his days spent outside training as a warrior. He stood almost six feet tall. But his most prominent features were his crimson colored eyes, which most of the other warriors believed to be a sign of his hidden bloodlust.

He stared up at Tyr with those bloody orbs and awaited further orders, though his eyes wandered back and forth from Ayane to his master. There was no mistaking the concern shining there and Ayane turned his head so that he wouldn't have to see it. Everyone in the village was aware of Eoroan's feelings concerning Ayane, but considering that he had just announced that he was Majora's and Majora's alone...

Also, Ayane had never seen Eoroan in that way. True, his father had been trying for years to push the two of them together, but Ayane only saw him as a friend and brother in arms. Eoroan's feelings ran much deeper, Ayane knew, and he was sad that he couldn't be the one for his friend, but... thinking back on it, he had always loved Majora more. And for that, he was sorry for Eoroan. There would always be that wonder of what could have been, but it was not meant to be.

He watched Eoroan's eyes darken in sadness and then both turned to look at Tyr when the man began to speak. His blue eyes were fixated on Ayane as he did so, though he spoke to Eoroan. "Eoroan, you are charged with Ayane's keeping. He is not to leave the village, for _any_ reason, until his coming of age ceremony." He directed his next words to Ayane, his gaze softening a fraction. "At that point, you are your own man and I cannot stop you. However, be mindful, my son, that I do this for your own good. It is not without cause that I do this and someday I hope that you will understand why I have done what I have."

Tyr turned to regard Eoroan again, his features hardening once more. "Your task at the moment, warrior, is to escort Ayane to the temple. There, you will lock him inside the inner chamber for the next few days and he will cleanse himself of the evil that has tainted his heart. May the goddesses watch over you, my son, for only they know the outcome of our decisions." This last part was directed to Ayane, who took a step forward as if to contest his father's judgement. Eoroan was up in a flash, crossing the short distance in a second. He grabbed Ayane by the shoulder and leaned down to whisper into his ear.

"Now is not the time. If you continue to fight your father's will, it will not end well and you will _never_ see Majora again. Just accept your fate for the time being and wait until the time is right. The goddesses willing, you will be reunited with your Majora. For now, come with me."

Ayane continued to glare at his father over Eoroan's shoulder for a few seconds more, then gritted his teeth and bowed his head to his father. "Your will be done, clan leader." He bit out, then turned on his heel and started walking towards the temple. He kept his head held up high though, looking every bit the warrior he was. Tyr watched his son and sighed, knowing without a doubt that this confrontation wasn't over yet.

From behind Tyr came an uncomfortable shuffling and he turned to regard the councilman who had been attacked. "You know I wasn't lying my lord... right?" He asked, still wringing his hands. Tyr stayed silent, then let out another sigh. "I don't know what I believe..."

The councilman's wife stepped forward angrily. "He's not lying! I don't know what possessed that boy, but he attacked my husband!"

"But..." The councilman trailed off, his eyes going towards the gate where Majora had exited, "He didn't seem... right. There was something off about him, about his eyes."

Tyr let him finish, before he too looked towards the gate. He remained silent, then shook his head. "What's done is done. Nothing can be changed now. For the time being, keep this to yourself. Majora is gone... it matters not what occurred that night. Majora attacked you, that much is certain. Why he did it, we will never know."

He let loose another sigh before turning to leave. Even though he had said that, he knew better. Something was starting, something he didn't think he could stop.

"Goddesses help us all."

-0-0-0-0-

Ayane walked quickly, his eyes burning. He was angry and upset, but mostly he felt as if a part of him had been ripped away. He wanted nothing more than to throw himself down upon the ground and cry his eyes out, but he couldn't do that. For one, Eoroan walked behind him and would try to comfort him, even though Ayane knew that Eoroan was probably glad that Majora was gone, just as the rest of the villagers were. Two, his pride wouldn't allow it. Word would somehow get back to his father and he could see the satisfaction written all over the man's face. Crying would mean he'd lost, that Majora really was gone.

And that was something he couldn't admit.

Eoroan watched his friend struggling with his sadness and couldn't help but feel a wave of jealousy. The fact that it was Majora who had pulled such a reaction from Ayane made him bitter. He would have loved nothing more than to be what Ayane needed in a mate, would have loved to pull Ayane to him and let him cry. But no. Ayane had chosen Majora, an outcast and a freak, instead of him, someone his father approved of, someone _the clan_ approved of. It irritated him, but also left him curious.

What did Majora have that he, Eoroan, did not?

He also thought it extremely cruel of the Fates, considering all that had happened, and he could understand Tyr's fear. After all, their leader had lost his intended wife, Naomi, to an outsider, who had then given birth to Majora. And now, Majora had taken Ayane's heart. The Fates were indeed cruel and it made Eoroan wonder what the man had done to deserve such an ill-begotten fate. But then, he would never question the goddesses in their choices. That was down right sacriligious and a line he would never dare to cross.

The warrior shivered then and felt the hair on the back of his neck raise. He could have sworn someone had walked over his grave just then. Suddenly the scenery around him changed and took on a bloody hue. All around him, people were dying. And not just people, but Gorons and Zoras as well, which amazed him even more. The three had never fought together in the entire history of their lives, yet now they did against a horde of monsters...

A great battle was being fought, but he couldn't figure out which side was winning. Then in the midst of it all, he saw Ayane, decked out in full general's regalia. His face was painted and his hair pulled back, his armor the colors of white and sapphire, but it was his eyes that seared Eoroan to his very soul.

He looked so sad...

Ayane let loose a great battle cry and swept into the battle, leading his people and the Gorons and Zoras into what could very well be their last fight. The sadness never left his eyes as he drew up short, his steps faltering as he came into a clearing in the midst of all the battling. Someone stood across from Ayane, but Eoroan couldn't make out who it was. Sadness still shining in his eyes, Ayane charged the figure, blood dripping down the side of his mouth.

Eoroan screamed as he watched his friend die, pierced through the chest by a giant spear. He watched Ayane's eyes widen and then close, tears streaming down his face. He whispered something then and the figure drew back, grabbing at his face. He fell as well, leaving Ayane kneeling in the dirt, the spear sticking out grusomely from his back.

The vision faded, leaving Eoroan staring wide-eyed at his surroundings. He was now standing before the temple with Ayane, who was looking back at him with worry. How long had he been standing there, lost in a nightmare? From the way Ayane was looking at him, quite a while. "You okay...?" Ayane asked, heading back toward him as if to check on him. Eoroan waved him off, saying, "I'm fine."

But he really wasn't. After all, he'd just seen his friend die. Had he seen a vision of the future? And if so, was it a warning, sent by the goddesses? What had triggered the battle? How could he stop it...? All of these questions ran rampant through his head as the two of them stepped inside the Temple of Time.

All of his worries faded away once inside. This was a place of peace, a place of safety. Here, nothing would hurt his friend. Here, Ayane would be safe. The temple was well-lit, with sunlight streaming in through the pane glass windows that depicted the descent of the goddesses and the making of the world and its people. At the far end was the biggest window, which displayed the goddesses and the Triforce, a holy symbol of their lives. He who gained control of the Triforce would control the future of the world. If one of good intentions obtained it, prosperity and wealth would follow. But if one of evil intentions were to obtain the Triforce, the world would face a dark age.

Pews lined the floor, all of them facing towards the end of the hall, where a giant door engraved with the Triforce symbol stood. Before that was an altar and a small set of stairs. The altar was empty now, said to have once housed the Triforce before evil entered the world. Now the Triforce was sealed within the Sacred Realm, protected by the goddesses. Eoroan gazed at the altar with reverence, before continuing down the hall with Ayane. They stopped at the door and both closed their eyes, humming to themselves. It was an older version of what would later become known as the Song of Time.

The Triforce on the door began to glow with a golden light and the door opened with a loud heaving noise. Beyond the door was a circular chamber that contained a platform marked with the image of the Triforce. Around the platform are the images of six medallions, each representing a different aspect of the world: green for Forest, red for Fire, blue for Water, purple for Shadow, orange for Spirit, and yellow for Light. The only aspect not represented was Time, though many debated that it was the Triforce itself that represented it. The platform itself was empty.

Taking a deep breath, Ayane went to the middle of the platform and sat down. He closed his eyes, calling upon the seven aspects, for he did include Time, then opened them again to look at Eoroan. "I'm ready." He whispered, his eyes filling with sadness once more. Eoroan nodded, again seeing his vision, and wondered if this was the right thing to do. He began to speak the words that would seal Ayane within this room for the next few days, when someone called out from behind him. Both he and Ayane turned to see who it was, a smile breaking out on his face as the person came into view.

"Aeschere." His voice was loving as a girl came into the room. She had long, light blonde hair that was tied back and blue eyes, so similar to Ayane's own that no one could doubt that she was his sister. She wore a pink and black tanktop, decorated with an upside down Triforce, over a pink skirt with the symbol of the eagle embroided on the white veil that partially covered the skirt. Her sleeves, which were in no way connected to her shirt, were tied tightly with crisscrossing strings just below her shoulders, coming down slightly past her hands. A belt covered the small gap between shirt and skirt, making it seem like she was wearing a dress, and on the belt was a small Triforce. Her pale feet poked out from underneath her skirts, bare except for the small dusting of dirt that marked them.

She was out of breath when she approached them, having obviously run a great deal. Ayane scanned his memory and found that he couldn't place her at the gates when Majora had been banished, meaning she'd probably been at home. How she'd known to come here was beyond him, but Aeschere had always said she had a great sense of intuition. It was times like this that he didn't doubt her. His gaze fell to the basket at her side and he frowned. "Aeschere... what is that?" His tone was slightly scolding and Aeschere pushed the basket behind her back with a embarrassed look. "I just thought, you know... that you might be hungry..."

"Aeschere..." Ayane started to scold her, then stopped himself and let out a sigh. He held out his hand to her, ignoring her knowing smile. Of course she'd know. It didn't change the fact that he wouldn't be hungry for the next however many days he was stuck in here. Time was funny that way, here in the sacred chamber. He could sit in here for days and never feel hungry or tired. As the high priestess-in-training, Aeschere would know that, but then again, she, like him, wasn't very keen on rules.

She handed him the basket and then sat down next to him, her deep blue eyes knowing. She gave Eoroan a look, then looked at the doorway, then at him again. Eoroan sighed and threw his hands up in the air in surrender before turning and walking out of the room. There was a smile on his face, though. Aeschere was a sweet girl, but when she said get going, you had better get to it. She was very scary when angry.

After Eoroan was quite a bit of distance away, Aeschere turned to look at her brother. She watched him dig through the basket and pull out a few choice items, then start eating. Her eyes were sad as she watched him, though, for even though she hadn't been there today in the center of town, she knew of what had transpired. She had seen it all, almost as if she had been there. She could still see the sadness on both Majora and Ayane's faces as they were split apart, feel both of their agony and hatred towards the villagers and Tyr.

And honestly, she couldn't blame either of them for their feelings.

The goddesses had been cruel in their fates for these two. Though it was not through choice, but through necessity, Aeschere wished it could have been placed on another. Ayane and Majora... the two of them would shape the destiny for this world, but at what cost, Aeschere was not entirely sure. She could not see into her brother's future, nor into Majora's. In fact, the next few years were completely dark for her. She could not see beyond today's events... All she knew was that darkness was on the horizon and that it was looming ever closer each passing day.

She laid her head on Ayane's shoulder, ignoring his questioning look. Her poor brother... She wished she could help him, but the goddesses would not allow it. Whatever was to happen would happen, for good or for worse, without her interference. _'Goddesses... My brother is all I have... please... please... don't take him away...'_

Whether or not they heard her was unknown and she received no comfort from the goddesses silence.

-0-0-0-0-

Ayane finished eating and shooed Aeschere out, glad that she'd come. They hadn't spoken much, but just her thinking of him was enough to make his heart a little less heavy. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, hearing Eoroan approach. He said nothing when the man stopped in front of him, his thoughts running in circles. He opened his eyes and stared at Eoroan, not really seeing him, but needing something to focus his train of thought.

He would continue on, he decided at last. He would listen to his father for the time being, but after his coming of age ceremony... He would go and find Majora, wherever the brunette was, and then they would be together, as they were meant to be from the beginning. And no one, not any damn body, would be able to separate them. At the same time, he would do his duty and serve the clan as the next leader. But he would never let them choose his life. He would not let them chase Majora away again.

Eoroan bent down to look at him, his crimson eyes swirling with many different emotions. "Are you ready?" He asked, his tone neutral. His posture was slightly stiff, though, and Ayane wondered why Eoroan seemed so uneasy all of a sudden. He started to ask, then thought better of it and just nodded his head. He closed his eyes again, clearing away all thoughts, as Eoroan began to chant. Ayane could feel himself falling deeper and deeper into sleep... and then nothing but peace and quiet.

-0-0-0-0-

Eoroan watched Ayane slump forward and bent down to catch the suddenly limp teen. He picked the boy up and placed him directly in the middle of the pedestal, laying him down so that he was sleeping comfortably on his side.

His heart thumped painfully in his chest as he looked down at the younger man. He looked so innocent, so pure... You couldn't have told he'd been hurting only moments ago. His face was so peaceful and serene, free of the agonies of the world. Eoroan reached out and brushed the hair back from Ayane's face, his heart aching. How he wished he could just keep Ayane in here forever, safe from the world...

And given the vision he'd had earlier, he would definitely like nothing more. But to keep Ayane asleep here, based on a whim... Ayane would never forgive him. And Eoroan wasn't sure if he could live with Ayane hating him. He stroked the boy's cheek and then stood, letting out a sigh. Sometimes free will was a pain...

"Sleep well, my love. When next you wake, your training will have already begun."

-0-0-0-0-

Ayane wasn't sure how long he slept, only that it seemed like forever. Someone was shaking him, rousing him from his long sleep, and he opened his eyes to see his father before him. Tyr smiled when Ayane awoke and helped the boy to his feet. "My son, the goddesses had decreed that you are ready to begin your training. Let me introduce you to your advisors and confidents."

He drew Ayane away from the pedestal and down the stairs, to where four people kneeled. His father indicated the first one on the right, a darker man with red hair and blue eyes. His hair came down to his shoulders and his face was somewhat narrow, heightening his long nose. His ears were round, which gave some indication that he wasn't fully of the clan, though more than likely this was due to a earlier generation, and not a recent one. Otherwise, he would have been treated just like Majora... His eyes were slightly narrowed and there was a haughty look on his face. He gave Ayane a quick once over and didnt' seem impressed with what he saw. "This is Sunnan."

"Monan." Ayane's attention was drawn to the woman kneeling next to Sunnan. She was pixie-like, small in height. Her eyes were huge in her face, their golden fire drawing him in like the rising sun. Her hair was equally impressive and complemented her image of a rising sun perfectly. It was a light pink and curly, hanging just above her shoulders. Two large golden hoops hung from her pointy ears, twinkling devilishly in the torchlight. Her smile was mischevious as she stared up at him and she gave him a wink that made him feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Leothe." Another woman kneeled next to Monan. She had blonde hair and green eyes, set in a broad face. Her eyes were also on him, but her look was contemplative. Her hair was tied in a high pony tail, showing off her pointy ears quite well. She was plain in comparison to Monan, but held herself with a dignity and strength that demanded respect. She wasn't one to take lightly and stood about even with Ayane if he guessed right.

And the next... Ayane froze when he saw Eoroan, who gave him a little wave and smile. Tyr inclined his head to Eoroan, though his eyes were on Ayane. "And Eoroan, whom you know. These four will be your advisors and will help you make decisions during your leadership. Over time, they will become your closest allies and friends, if you will allow them."

"And now..." Tyr turned to regard the final person in the room, who Ayane had just noticed. Aeschere stood near the back, confusion on her face, and no wonder. Normally, no one but the future leader, the current leader, and the advisors would be in the room. Aeschere's presence was unprecedented, but surely his father had a good reason.

"Aeschere, come forward." She did so, kneeling before her father and inclining her head. As she was his daughter, she did not have to fist her hand over her heart. He regarded her with a smile and then bid her rise. "Aeschere, I name you reigning High Priestess. The goddesses have deemed it time for you to take your place in their temple. Blessed be, daughter."

Aeschere looked stunned, and Ayane knew there was a similar look on his face. They both had known that it would happen eventually, but this... this they hadn't expected. Joy replaced the stunned look on Aeschere's face and she stood to thank her father. As High Priestess of the temple, she no longer had to kneel before her father. She was his equal. Ayane smiled and bowed to his sister, showing her his congratulations. She beamed at him, twin tracks of tears streaming down her face. And then she ran over and hugged him.

Ayane caught her with ease, still smiling, and his four advisors came over to join them. Eoroan patted Aeschere on the shoulder, while the other three stood slightly back, Monan and Leothe smiling with pleasure, Sunnan with his usual scowl on his face. Ayane looked at the people around him and smiled. He could work with these people... now, he just needed to wait out the next two years...

And then he would go and seek out Majora.

To be continued...


	6. No More Waiting

No More Waiting

By: Asura Mori

Two years passed by in the blink of an eye, though for Ayane it couldn't have gone by any slower. His heart continued to grow heavier and heavier with each passing day, though he did well not to show it. Only his advisers. and sister knew the truth, knew how much he was hurting inside. Sunnan was the most vocal concerning Ayane's pain, thinking the younger man weak for depending on another for his happiness. Aeschere had smacked him good and Sunnan hadn't said another word since, claiming that his "cheek hurt where some succubus had hit him every time he so much as thought a bad word about Ayane."

To his people he was a good and strong leader, upholding the clan's future. Even his father could not fault him and looked upon him with pride. The day of Ayane's eighteenth birthday finally approached, a cause of celebration for everyone. Even Ayane could not deny the lightening of his heart. Finally... it was time.

-0-0-0-0-

Ayane paced back and forth in his room, his whole body tense. He had been waiting for this moment for two years, yet now he was nervous all of a sudden. What if the goddesses denied him? What if he was found incompetent? Everything he had worked for up to this point would have been for nothing... He couldn't bear to see the disappointment in his father's eyes, the clan's whisperings. But most of all, he couldn't bear the thought of never seeing Majora again.

Aeschere followed him, trying to finish up a few last minute touches. But with Ayane constantly moving, she was starting to get slightly irritated. "Ayane!" She finally yelled, making her brother flinch. He stopped and started at her, blue eyes slightly wide. "... Yes...?" He asked, seeming hesitant to come near her. She put her hands on her hips, blue eyes dark with irritation. "Get over here. Now. I have to finish your outfit and I'm running out of time. Move. Your. Ass. NOW."

Grimacing, Ayane did as he was told and went to her. He stood still and let Aeschere work on him, closing his eyes as she fussed over him. He needed to calm down, he knew. His work would not be for nothing. He would be a great leader... and he would see Majora again... or he would die. He felt a slight tugging on his hair and opened his eyes to find Aeschere looking up at him. "Turn." She said, her eyes gazing at him sadly. He knew she could feel his agony, but he didn't know how to shield his mind from her. She was way too empathetic for her own good sometimes, but she couldn't control it either. She gave him a quick hug before he turned, then started on his hair.

It was slightly soothing to feel her hands running through his hair and his thoughts went to his mother. She was probably outside with their father, preparing for the feast that would follow his coming of age ceremony. It had been ages since she'd done his hair but, he had to say out of the two of them, Aeschere was a lot more patient with it. She seemed to take delight in small things like this and Ayane knew without a doubt that she would make a great mother some day. He smiled at the thought.

"Okay, turn."

Ayane did so, only to find a mirror in his face. He was forced to look at his reflection and marveled at how much a simple hair style could change how one looked. His hair was up in a high pony, similar to how Leothe wore her hair. The band holding his hair had several leather pieces just hanging down and around his shoulders, like a veil of sorts. His face was painted in the standard coming of age style, with a single blue arch painted from the right of his forehead, down in between his eyebrows, and back up to the left side of his forehead. Red paint circled almost entirely around his eyes, coming to a point near his ears, and then another stripe beneath both of his eyes was red as well.

He was dressed simply in a plain black robe, signifying his death as a child and rebirth as a man, and his feet were bare. Beneath the robe he wore nothing, as later in the ceremony he would descend into a lake and be "purified." In the watery depths he would offer himself to the goddesses for judgment. If they found him worthy, the ceremony would continue. If not... well, Ayane didn't even want to think about it.

Ayane instead thought of the box that Aeschere would he holding. In the box was a single silver earring. Unlike the blue earring that both Sunnan and Eoroan wore, this one not only signified his becoming a man, but also his being the clan leader. It wouldn't be put into his right ear until after the goddesses had found him worthy of being the next leader. At that point, both he and Aeschere would approach the altar in the temple and thank the goddesses for their blessing. And then the party would begin and Ayane would become the new leader of the clan...

And then he'd make his first decree...

"Ayane."

He turned at the sound of his name to find Eoroan standing in the doorway. He was dressed as usual, but tonight he had his bow slung across his back and his quiver hung next to his left leg. "You ready?" He asked with a smile, holding his hand out to the younger man. Two years ago, Eoroan had basically gone through the same thing, and he knew very well what Ayane was feeling right now. Monan would go through the same thing next year, Aeschere in three years. Sunnan had completed his coming of age ceremony three years prior and Leothe only just last year.

Ayane took a deep breath. No, he wasn't ready, but that didn't change the fact that he had to do this. He nodded and took Eoroan's hand, trying not to pull away when Eoroan caressed his hand gently. He gave Eoroan a look, but the older man just smiled and shrugged, unrepentant. Ayane rolled his eyes and started to walk out, but Eoroan pulled him back.

"Ayane... is there nothing I can do to convince you of a different course?" He asked, his smile gone. Ayane gazed up at his friend sadly, already knowing where this was going. "No, Eoroan. There is nothing you can do to convince me otherwise. I..." He looked away, suddenly uncomfortable. "Maybe, if I had met you first... I might have fallen in love with you. But I didn't... and nothing can change that now." He looked Eoroan in the eye, seeing the sadness there and knowing he could nothing to ease that pain. "I love Majora... and I will not leave him to suffer alone. Forgive me, Eoroan... but I can't..."

Eoroan closed his eyes then and let out a sigh. Then his smile was back on his face and he looked at Ayane with warmth. "I would rather you be truthful with me then lie to me. Nothing will change my love for you, dearest Ayane, and I will always love you. But I am content to stand by your side as a friend, knowing that I can always be there for you. You and Majora have my blessing."

Nothing could have shocked him more than this. "T-thank you..." Ayane muttered, blushing heavily. Eoroan continued to smile and gestured for Ayane to walk out first. He did so, then allowed Eoroan to lead him to the temple, with Aeschere following in their wake, singing the archaic Song of Time softly under her breath. They walked slowly, but reached the temple all too soon in Ayane's opinion. All of the villagers stood outside, standing off to the side so that they could have a clear walkway to the entrance of the temple where Tyr and Ayane's other advisers. stood.

Tyr watched his son approach with pride, a huge smile plastered to his face. Eoroan stepped off to the side when they got to Tyr, taking his place amongst the rest of the advisers. Aeschere walked past Ayane and took her place next to their father as the High Priestess, giving Ayane a wink. Ayane had to force himself not to laugh at her silliness.

"Today is a glorious day. Not only is today the birth of a new warrior into our clan, but also the birth of a new leader." Tyr boomed, his voice stretching out to include everyone who was there to witness the ceremony, "My friends, I call upon you as witnesses today as my son takes his place in our world. Let the goddesses be fair in their judgment of him and judge him worthy."

"Courage, Power, and Wisdom to thee."

Everyone gathered repeated the words, except Ayane who closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. Tyr took his arm then and they turned and left the courtyard surrounding the temple. Ayane tried to ignore the stares he received and the whispers that followed him, but it was hard. All of them were wondering if he would pass and some were even betting that he wouldn't. Honestly, he didn't want to think about it. They walked for a few minutes, until they came to the area where Hyrule Castle would sit in the future. At this moment in time, it was just an open field surrounding a huge lake.

Ayane shivered as he looked at the water, knowing it would be cold this time of year. But he didn't waver in his resolve. Eoroan approached and helped him disrobe, his eyes hot as he looked at Ayane. The teen tried not to think on that either, but that was also hard when Eoroan brushed against his shoulder lightly. He gritted his teeth and shot Eoroan a murderous glare, but the older man had already walked away. Damn the warrior and his antics. No matter. The cold water would soon cure _that _problem.

His mouth dry, Ayane approached the water and stared into his clear depths. He could see the bottom, even in the dying light, and it soothed his heart. Closing his eyes once more, Ayane fisted his right hand over his heart, but did not kneel. "I come to thee an unclean man in search of answers. I throw myself upon thy mercy for judgment. Goddesses, I come to thee symbolizing Power, Courage, and Wisdom. Let thy will be done." And with that, he threw himself into the freezing water.

And it was freezing. He gasped under the water at the sheer iciness and choked as the cold water entered his lungs. This was the part where he wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to do. But then it became apparent. Three figures appeared in the water, one red, one green, and one blue. All looked female, but Ayane could not discern any noticeable features. They all pointed to him as one and Ayane flinched as a chorus of voices assaulted him.

_"I give to thee the Power to do what must be done."_

_"I give to thee the Wisdom to judge what must be done."_

_"I give to thee the Courage to follow through with what must done."_

When Ayane next opened his eyes, he was back on the shore. Eoroan and Aeschere kneeled next to him, both of their faces concerned, but Ayane just waved them away. He got up on his own, stark naked, and approached his father. Tyr looked down at him with pride and placed his hands on his son's shoulders.

"The goddesses have judged you worthy. Had they not, they would not have returned you to us." Ayane gave his father a tired smile and allowed himself to be pulled into a hug. Eoroan approached with his robe and hung it about his shoulders, also smiling. "Congrats." He whispered, winking. Ayane smiled back, then leaned over and kissed Eoroan on the cheek. "Payback." He whispered back, laughing at the shocked look on Eoroan's face. Eoroan growled at him and started to lunge at him, but Tyr gave him a stern look. "We are not yet done here." He growled, though it was with a playful twinkle in his eyes.

They returned to the temple then, with Ayane refastening his robe along the way. This time they went inside, to where the altar stood, and both he and Aeschere approached the altar and bowed before it. They gave thanks to the goddesses and then Aeschere turned to Ayane. She lifted the box and pulled out the silver earring, and also a needle. He took a breath and closed his eyes, as Aeschere placed the needle to his lobe. It was over in a matter of seconds. There was a quick flare of pain and then a slight pinching feeling, then Aeschere was pulling back with a smile. Ayane opened his eyes and smiled as well. They both thanked the goddesses again... and then hissed simultaneously.

Everyone in the hall grew quiet as brother and sister fell to their knees. Tyr was the first to go to his children, worry and fear on his face. Eoroan, Sunnan, Monan, and Leothe were just as quick to follow. When the four of them saw the dazed look on Tyr's face, they grew even more concerned, until they too had seen what was going on.

On Ayane's and Aeschere's left hands were the symbol of the Triforce, Ayane's signifying Courage and Aeschere's Wisdom. But that left the question... where was Power? It was possible, they knew, that Power had not yet been born.

Tyr stood with a flourish, his smile even bigger than before. "Today has truly been remarkable. Not only has my son become the new clan leader and come of age, he also bears the Triforce of Courage. And my daughter, who is High Priestess to the goddesses, bears the Triforce of Wisdom. Today is a day of celebration and tonight we will celebrate like never before! This is truly a blessing from above!"

This announcement was met with many cheers and the feast was underway within a matter of moments. Ayane stood back and watched the celebrations with a smile, though his gaze repeatedly went to his hand and he couldn't help but feel slightly shocked. He was the bearer of Courage... and Aeschere of Wisdom... He glanced at his sister, who was mingling with the crowd and greeting their guests. How did she feel about all of this? The goddesses truly loved her... and apparently him as well. Was his course, then, the right one?

The party lasted well into the night, but Ayane never went and joined in with the festivities, his mind somewhere else entirely.

-0-0-0-0-

The next day, all hell broke loose. Literally.

"I refuse to agree with this!" Tyr roared, glaring at his son. Ayane only stared back at him, his face completely unreadable, though there was a hint of amusement within his eyes. "Were you not one who said the clan leader had the final say, father?" He asked, smiling when his father cursed. "And I have decided. If Majora still lives, then his banishment is now at an end, and I will go to find him and bring him _home_. Whether or not you agree with me is not the point. There is not enough evidence concerning his crime two years ago and he _is_ one of our own. I will not let him suffer alone in some foreign land."

Ayane stood and strode from the council's room, ignoring the dirty looks and ugly comments he heard whispered. It didn't matter what they thought... They had known from day one what he was going to do once he became leader. Thinking that time and distance would dull his love for Majora was stupid of them. He intended to keep his promise.

"Eoroan. Leothe. Sunnan. Monan."

The four appeared almost out of nowhere. "My lord." They chimed together, their heads bowed and fists clenched tightly over their hearts. He looked down at them with a smile. While they all had their quirks, he loved each one of them like a brother or sister. In the last two years, they had become extremely dear to them, just as his father had said they would.

"We ride out immediately."

"Yes, my lord!"

He turned and walked away, his steps determined. Nothing would stop him now and nothing would ever keep him away from Majora again... This he swore.

-0-0-0-0-

They traveled for hours, unsure of where to begin to search for Majora. Ayane knew without a doubt that Majora wouldn't go to the Zoras or to the Gorons, but there were still so many places he could have been. Finally, after many more hours of searching, they came upon a large cavern that seemed to lead into the woods. The sun was beginning to set and Ayane could think of nothing else. He started to call for a halt so that they could rest and begin anew the next day, when he felt a weird sensation.

He glanced towards the cavern and pranced his gold-colored mare closer. She shied away when they got closer, though, and Ayane was forced to dismount to inspect the entrance for himself. The feeling came again, but this time it stayed. "Majora...?" He whispered, reaching his hand out towards the inky darkness. A hand on his shoulder made him jump and he turned to see Monan, who was looking at the opening with a hooded gaze.

"I don't like this, Ayane." She said, eyes roaming as if she could penetrate the darkness with her golden orbs. "I'm getting a bad feeling about this place. It doesn't want us here..." Ayane could feel it too, but he couldn't deny what his heart was telling him. Majora was in there. "Monan, I think he's in there. I can feel it." He told her, turning to look at her, "It's as if... he's calling out to me..."

"Are you sure it isn't just the forest?" She asked back, her voice dropping to a whisper. "It doesn't want _us_" here she indicated herself and the other three behind them, "however, you..." She cocked her head to the side, as if listening, "Yeah, it definitely likes you..." She finally whispered, seeming confused, "But it's not because of you... it's because of something else... something inside..."

"Majora." Ayane whispered and Monan felt herself melt at how much love was in that single word. Ayane turned to look back at the opening and started to take a step forward. Monan grabbed his arm. "Can't it wait until the morning? We have no idea what's in there..." Ayane was already shaking his head. "This can't wait. Something tells me that if we wait... it will be too late..."

Monan gave him a look, as if trying to decide something, then shrugged her shoulders. "All right, if that's what you want." She turned to the rest of the party and yelled, "We're heading in!" A collective groan filled the air and Ayane forced himself not to laugh. His group and their melodramatics...

A sudden wailing filled the air and the group turned to see a group of Stall Children approaching them. They were skeleton warriors filled with hate and despair over their own deaths, hating the living for their continued life. And they were coming after them, it seemed.

"Into the woods." Ayane hissed, drawing back as he drew his sword. Eoroan had already fitted an arrow into his bow, then looked down at his weapon with a raised brow. Then he shrugged and placed the arrow back in his quiver, drawing instead two knives from his carrying belt. Monan unhooked her two chakrams from beneath her skirts, bringing the two weapons up with a feral grin. Leothe reached back and unhooked her giant claymore, her green eyes glittering with excitement. Sunnan took one look at the multitude of Stall Children approaching them, looked at the woods, shrugged, and walked into the entrance.

"Sunnan." The other three advisers. groaned, then followed him in. Ayane was the last to enter, watching the horses run away from the Stall Children in fear. At least they knew to run, he thought, but it would make getting back home a bit harder. Oh well, he'd rather they be safe than dead. Shrugging, he entered the woods as well. His four advisers. turned to look at him as one and Ayane suddenly felt self conscious.

"We thought you'd gone in ahead of us, so we were slightly worried when we couldn't' find you." Leothe explained, giving Sunnan a dirty look. Obviously, Sunnan had said something less than flattering about Ayane's disappearance. "I was making sure the horses got away." He explained, feeling slightly like he was being scolded. It wasn't technically his fault that his advisers. hadn't noticed him hanging back...

Leothe smiled and waved her hand. "It's fine. It was mostly Eoroan here who was freaking out. Most of us assumed you'd stayed back to do that." Eoroan gave her a dirty look and muttered, "Jeez, thanks for making me sound like a pansy..."

Eoroan's self-pity was cut off by the sound of howls. Immediately they all assumed a back to back formation, their weapons upraised for attack. Another howl sounded from the cave to the north of them, but the enemy appeared from the east. Caught unprepared, Sunnan took a nasty swipe to his upper arm and hissed in rage. He retaliated with a quick blow of his own with his right-hand weapon, a scimitar, then turned and stabbed down with his dagger, blue eyes glittering with fury. His assailant drew back and that's when they realized it was a Wolfos and all cursed. Where there was one, there was usually... a whole freaking pack.

They all glanced back to the east cave where six more came scurrying out. Ayane glanced behind him to see his advisers. looking to him for orders. He gave them a nod and threw himself at the nearest enemy. The others did the same, choosing to engage the monsters one on one. Weirdly enough, two of the Wolfos stayed back, as if watching to see who the strongest of the group were. Ayane thought it odd behavior for the Alpha to stay back during a fight and was about to comment on it when the other two came at him as well. Biting back a yelp when one of them scored a hit on his leg, Ayane did the best he could against three enemies and blocked with his sword when he could. He could see Eoroan trying to get to him, but his own enemy was pushing him back.

Suddenly Ayane went flying. One minute he was fighting for his life, the next he'd been tossed into the next room. He got up and ran back through the doorway to rejoin the fight, only to find himself in another room. Confused, he looked back, only to see no door. What the hell...? He wandered around for a while, calling out to his friends, but got nothing in response. What the hell was going on here?

He finally came to an area that led into a maze. He could see a hallway across the way from him, but wasn't entirely sure where it led. He hesitantly stepped into the maze and traversed his way through, until he finally came to the hall he'd seen earlier. So far, he hadn't met a single monster, which worried and surprised him. He began to walk down the hall, then heard something giggle behind him. He turned with lightning speed, sword still in hand, but found nothing there. Nerves shaken, he started walking again, his eyes roaming the shadows for any sign of movement. Once or twice he swore he saw something following him, but it never stuck around long enough for him to discern it.

As soon as he entered the room, though, it became more than apparent that something was there with him. A quiet chorus of giggles had erupted as soon as he'd stepped foot into the room. He glanced around, trying to find the source, but found nothing. A temple of sorts stood out of reach just in front of him, a lone tree marking a possible way up. A little off to the right was a tree stump that looked like it'd be a comfortable place to sit, but Ayane wasn't going to go over there. He remembered Monan's earlier words, about how the forest had seemed to like him...

Well, he currently wasn't liking the forest all too much.

The giggles continued as he walked even further into the room. Then all of a sudden, it stopped, freezing the blood in Ayane's veins. He looked around wildly, confused and scared, then felt something hit him from behind. He went sprawling, his sword landing several feet away from him. A small creature ran out and, giving him a quick, mean smile, picked up his sword and took off. He started to get up, his mouth opening in protest, when he was knocked down again. He stared to roll over to see what was hitting him, but then stopped when a pair of hands slid under his shirt. The hands were hot as they slid along his chest, exploring his body. Ayane couldn't move. He was completely surprised and more than a little afraid.

As the hands started to go lower, Ayane broke out of his trance. He grabbed at the hands and used his other hand to push at his assailant. "Get your hands off of me!" He growled, turning his head to glare at the molester. His protest died in his throat when he saw a heart-shaped mask staring back at him.

A heart-shaped mask he remembered well...

"Ma-!"

Suddenly he was turned so that he was on his back, his hands held up above his head. He tried again, but was silenced when Majora removed his mask, dropping it to the floor, and leaned down, kissing him. The kiss was hot and brutal, bringing tears to the white-haired man's eyes. Ayane yelped when a hand slid down the front of his pants, massaging his groin, then began to moan. He couldn't help it. Only in his dreams had Majora touched him like this.

Ayane deepened the kiss of his own free will, ignoring Majora's light chuckle, and bucked his hips slightly. Majora more than complied, his fingers working Ayane's shaft delectably slow, making the younger man mewl. He came seconds later, his breathing hard as Majora continued to torment him. "M-Majora..."

The brunette froze, staring down at Ayane as if seeing him for the first time. Confusion shined in his eyes as he leaned down and sniffed Ayane, his eyes widening in recognition a second later. He shot back, staring at the younger man with disbelief.

"... Ayane...?"

Ayane wanted to cry, hearing his name spoken like that. He slowly rose into a sitting position and then to a standing position, but made no move towards the trembling brunette. Majora continued to stare at him, as if unable to believe this were really happening. He slowly approached Ayane, reaching out a tentative hand to caress the white-haired teen's face. Upon contact Majora let out a soft sob and then threw his arms around Ayane, holding him close. Ayane hugged him back, also crying. If this was a dream, he never wanted to wake up...

From their left came the sound of weapons being drawn. Ayane pulled back first and stared wide-eyed at his advisers. who were standing in the entrance. Majora turned to look at them and snarled, pushing Ayane behind him and pulling out a knife. That was all the incentive Eoroan needed. He let loose a roar and came barreling at Majora, intending to end the brunette's life. The other three advisers. quickly followed suit and Ayane knew without a doubt that if he didn't do something, somebody was going to die.

Before Eoroan or Majora could reach the other, Ayane threw himself in between them, his back to Majora. Eoroan stopped, eyes wide with disbelief. "Ayane...!" He snarled, reaching as if to shove the younger man aside. Ayane stopped him with a glare, his blue eyes dark with anger. "All of you, stop this insanity now." He growled, his arms outstretched to block anyone from fighting. "Listen to me. This man is Majora." He turned to look at Majora then, his eyes softening a degree, "Majora, these are my advisers." He pointed at each one individually, saying their names as he went. "That's Leothe, that's Sunnan, that's Monan, and that," He pointed at Eoroan, who was still glaring at Majora, "... is Eoroan. They are not your enemies." Here he returned to glaring at Eoroan, "And Majora is not yours."

Eoroan turned his glare to Ayane and they continued like that for a few seconds, just staring the other down, until finally Eoroan inclined his head and withdrew, snapping his knives back into his belt angrily. The rest of the group followed his lead and sheathed their weapons. Majora kept his knife out until all of them had put theirs away, then placed his in a small wrapping around his leg. It was at that point that Ayane realized Majora was completely naked and felt himself grow red. He glanced away, blushing heavily. Majora didn't seem to notice and approached him without a care in the world.

Majora brushed his hand across Ayane's face, as if still unable to believe this was real. Ayane let him, nuzzling his hand with his cheek. "I'm real, Majora. I promise." His voice broke on the last word and Majora pulled him into another hug. "Thank you, goddesses..." He heard Majora whisper. They stayed like that for a few more minutes, until Leothe cleared her throat.

"I'm not trying to ruin this moment or anything, but we really need to be getting back, my lord." She reminded quietly, forcing Ayane to return to the world. He gave her a quick nod, then looked back at Majora. "Majora? Let's go home."

Majora looked at him for a while, then his gaze shifted to where Ayane's advisers stood. He stared at Eoroan for the longest time, his gaze unreadable, then returned his eyes to Ayane. He seemed indecisive and Ayane felt a pang of worry. Would Majora choose to return with them? Or would he want to stay here...? And if Majora chose to stay... what would he choose to do? He breathed a sigh of relief.

"If that is where you are, then I will go..." Ayane heard the doubt in Majora's voice and wondered at it, but chose not to ask, fearing the answer he would receive. The brunette bent down and retrieved his mask, but didn't put it back on his face. Instead, he hung on to it. His other hand found its way into Ayane's hand, his grip tight.

The two walked out, hand in hand, just as the sun was beginning to rise over the land. They had been out all night, apparently, but Ayane didn't care. He and Majora were together once again. That was all that mattered.

-0-0-0-0-

They found the horses shortly after they left the forest, though each and everyone of them was surprised to see that they'd remained close by. From his pack, Ayane drew out a cloak and gave it to Majora, even though he thought the look on the villagers faces would have been priceless if the brunette had strut into the village stark naked. However, he really doubted that would have given Majora any brownie points with the clan. He caught the look Majora gave the cloak, which basically translated as "Do I really have to?" Chuckling, Ayane helped Majora fasten the cloak so that nothing was showing and then got onto his horse. Majora followed his lead and jumped up behind him, straddling Ayane's waist with his hips and wrapping his arms tightly around the white-haired teen's stomach.

Ayane couldn't fight the blush that sparked across his face as he remembered that Majora wore nothing beneath the cloak. The two were intimately pressed together, which Majora seemed to take great delight in. He leaned forward, his hand brushing softly against Ayane's stomach, chuckling when Ayane leaned back against him with a sigh. Seeing this, Eoroan cleared his throat loudly, bringing Ayane back to reality. He gave the older warrior a dark look, which Eoroan returned with a gritted smile, then pulled himself away from Majora and spurred the horse on. Majora glared at Eoroan as they passed him, letting the other white-haired man know just how much he appreciated the interruption, but Eoroan just smiled and gave him a "Don't do it in front of me" look. Sighing at their childishness, Ayane focused on getting back home and what he was going to say to his father, who, no doubt, would be waiting for them.

But when they got back, Tyr was not there to greet them. The council stood in the square, but Tyr was nowhere to be seen. Confused, and a little worried, Ayane dismounted and then helped Majora down, before turning to the rest of the council, which comprised of two elderly men and two women. They looked upon Majora with subdued contempt, who reacted quite visibly with a flinch and a glare of his own. They chose to ignore him after that, instead focusing their attention on Ayane.

One of the elders stepped forward, his eyes glinting in the afternoon light. "My lord, we are glad to see you have returned safely with your... _friend_ in tow, but there is a matter of utmost urgency we must speak about. Would you please come with us to the council room, so that we may speak in private?"

In other words, they didn't want Majora to hear what they had to say. Ayane frowned, glancing back at Majora, who seemed to have caught the hidden meaning as well. He smiled thinly, then turned his gaze to Ayane. There was a definite softening in his eyes as he slowly nodded at Ayane, conveying that it was okay, that he understood. Ayane continued to frown and turned to look back at the council, hating their smug smiles and hooded eyes.

"... Very well." He knew the laws, knew that nothing he said would allow Majora to attend the meeting. Majora was not yet his mate by their laws, so he could not attend the meeting until that time. His advisers were bound to him and a part of the council, so that enabled them to be present at all times. He turned to look at his advisers and his gaze settled on Leothe. She was a safe bet out of all of his advisers. In most situations, he could have chosen Eoroan, but given the hostility between him and Majora...

"Leothe. Escort Majora to my home and make sure he is comfortable and given anything that he needs. I will be back shortly, goddesses willing, and will see to the rest of his comforts."

Yeah, definitely a double meaning there, which he took the shock on the elders' faces that they had caught it as well. He almost wanted to let out an evil chuckle, but chose not to. Instead he looked at Majora, who was grinning unabashedly. Yep, Majora had definitely gotten the double entendre. Eoroan, on the other hand, looked furious, while the other advisers. exchanged amused and somewhat concerned glances. Leothe stepped forward and placed her right hand over her heart, bowing her head slightly.

"Your will be done, clan leader." She then turned to Majora, an amused smile on her face. "Let's go, wild boy. We've got some work to do." Majora hesitated for a split second before following her, giving Ayane one final look before doing so. Ayane watched him go with a slight tugging on his heart, then turned back to look at the elders. He inclined his head to them, indicating that he would follow their lead, and they turned as one, muttering amongst themselves. Ayane let out a sigh. This was definitely gonna take a while...

-0-0-0-0-

Majora followed Leothe with a few reservations. Honestly, he had wanted to stay with Ayane, but something told him that the elders wouldn't have been too happy. There was also the sense that Ayane couldn't bring him to the meeting, which made the brunette slightly unhappy. Had he come back here only to be hurt again? Goddesses, he hoped not... Then he smiled, remembering Ayane's earlier words. Oh yeah, that had definitely gotten the elders riled up. Majora also wondered if Ayane had meant what he said... double entendre included. If so...

What did that mean for the two of them?

He glanced up in confusion when Leothe passed by Ayane's old house, but then he remembered that once a boy became a man, they got their own place, which meant Ayane didn't live there anymore. However, from the balcony window, a young woman gave a small wave. He smiled. Aeschere never changed. She had been one of the few to look upon him with something resembling friendship. It hadn't been til Tyr had declared that they could never be friends that Aeschere had started becoming distant from him. But apparently now that he and Ayane were an "item," it was okay. That was fine with him. He smiled and waved back, then continued to follow Leothe.

She continued to lead him farther and farther away from the village square, to the point that Majora started becoming nervous. It wasn't until a house popped up in the distance and they started walking towards it that he slowly started to relax. She lead him into the house and then turned to look at him, a contemplative look on her face.

"Let's see... the first thing we should do is probably clean you up a bit." She said this with a devilish smile and suddenly Majora felt worried. He slowly backed away from her, his hands held out before him, but she continued to approach him without reservation. Majora actually whimpered right before she grabbed his wrist and pulled him into what he knew was that bathroom.

'_Ayane... help...'_

-0-0-0-0-

Ayane let out a frustrated sigh as the elders continued to prattle on and on about their different worries, finding none of them extremely important or life threatening. The elders had definitely been exaggerating, trying to get him to come with them when this obviously could have waited until tomorrow. Honestly, he was tired and drained, and just wanted to go home to Majora and rest. Was that too much to ask? Now he understood why his father was always so tired and cranky when he came home. These old buzzards had dragged him across the floor with their constant nettling.

Finally the elders began to quiet down and they all looked at Ayane collectively. The mood had instantly shifted in the room and Ayane knew without a doubt that they were going to finally get to their real point. He watched all of them, particularly the old man who'd first approached him when they returned. But it was one of the older women that spoke, her voice gravelly as she stood to address him.

"Clan leader, it is time to discuss your... _mate_, Majora." Her eyes were a cold gray, penetrating to the depths of his soul. He found he couldn't speak, let alone look away from her. She commanded his attention, letting him know just how serious this matter was. "Our decision stands about Majora. He is a beast, unfit to live among our clan. The fact that you, our leader, wish to have him as your equal in all things is troublesome and generates much worry. However, we stand by your decision to allow him here, despite his earlier banishment."

Ayane opened his mouth to speak, but she silenced him with a hand wave and he closed his mouth, inclining his head for her to finish. She nodded back, then continued. "We will tell you this one last time, young Ayane. Majora is destined to destroy our clan. We do not know how or when, but we fear the darkness we see in his heart. He is not like us and he never will be, despite your best intentions. Again, we have no choice but to stand by your decision, but you have been warned. Heed our advice and wisdom, before it is too late."

Ayane waited until she had sat down before he stood, measuring his words carefully. "Majora is what we made him, not the other way around. He was not born a beast, nor do I believe him to be one. As you have all shunned him since the moment of his birth, you have never seen the kindness and love that he holds within his heart. Tell me, how would you react to someone who constantly told you that they hated you? Would you continue to play the fool, smiling every day, or would you lash out, wanting to hurt that person as much as they'd hurt you?"

"The evil is not within Majora, so much as it is within us. We are the ones who made him what he is today, so is the evil not within our own hearts? You judge him before he has even been given a chance."

He sat down slowly, fixing each elder with his gaze. Was it just his imagination or did some of them look away as if chastised? Good. He glanced at the elderly woman, but saw nothing there to determine whether or not his words had had any affect on her. She continued to look at him with those gray eyes and he saw something akin to sadness glint there. He suddenly felt uncomfortable and looked away, knowing that the council had come to him with these concerns because they had been worried. But...

He couldn't let them chase Majora away again...

Ayane shook his head and looked at the woman, hardening his heart. "I will not allow Majora to be hurt again and stand by my decision. He will stay... and I will take him as my mate." The woman stared back at him for the longest time, before finally inclining her head. "As it is your will, so let it be done." She whispered, "May Courage, Power, and Wisdom be your guide on this dark road, my dear Ayane. For that is all we have left in these desolate times.

To be continued...


	7. The Beginning of Our Lives

Warning: Sex scene between two guys: Majora and Ayane. Also, gender bending and more sex.

The Beginning of Our Lives

By: Asura Mori

Ayane walked home after the meeting deep in thought. While he understood the elders' worries, he couldn't force himself to even consider making Majora leave. Majora would cause the destruction of the clan? It was ridiculous, yet... not, at the same time. He could easily remember the hatred Majora had for their people, but who could honestly blame him? They had abused and hurt him since the moment he'd been born, never accepting him as one of their own and calling him 'monster.' What man could rightly bear that kind of abuse?

Did that mean Majora was going to destroy their people? Ayane didn't believe so. After proving that Majora was one of them, the clan would see that they'd been wrong to distance themselves from him. They would see what he saw – a kind young man who just wanted to be loved. And Ayane intended to love him, as a friend, as a companion, and as a lover.

He went into his house, only to pause in confusion. Leothe was banging on the door leading into the washroom, smiling with barely restrained glee. "Come on, Majora. I was just trying to help you get clean." She giggled, her eyes aglow with mischief. Ayane chuckled, thinking he knew just what had transpired in the hour he'd been gone. Leothe had tried to help Majora get clean, there was no doubt of that. However, it seemed Majora had had other plans, locking himself inside the washroom so that Leothe couldn't get in. No doubt, Leothe had done something to shock Majora (she had probably groped him or smacked his ass), which had caused the scene in front of him.

Leothe turned to regard him, grinning widely. She started to speak, but Ayane waved her off, silencing her. He pulled her aside, far from the hearing of his locked-in lover, and whispered quietly, "Go on home. I'll take care of things from here." She smiled in response, giving the okay sign, then said loudly, "Majora, I'm heading out. It's obvious you don't want my help, so I'm gonna go see how Ayane's doing with the council. Hurry up and get good and clean for him, you hear me? Cya!"

And with that she was gone. Ayane chuckled lightly, shaking his head, and hid in the next room. He waited until he heard the door open, seeing Majora carefully poke his head out in suspicion. Satisfied that Leothe was actually gone, the brunette visibly relaxed and stepped back into the bathroom, leaving the door unlocked. The white-haired teen waited until he heard the sound of water splashing, then a little bit longer until he was sure the water had settled, then calmly walked over to the door. He glanced in, seeing that Majora's back was to him, and smiled.

The teen quietly walked into the bathroom, pausing when he saw Majora's mask on a nearby table. It stared back at him and he fought a shiver. He shook his head, then resumed his course, smiling as he neared the bathing brunette. He carefully wrapped his arms around the older man's neck and chuckled when he felt Majora tense. "Leothe, this isn't funny." The brunette snapped, "I thought you were leaving-" He trailed off as he turned, seeing Ayane. "Goddesses, Ayane, you scared the living hell out of me!" He growled, glaring at his lover. But Ayane could feel his pounding heart, could feel it as it slowed down. Majora was happy that he was here.

He leaned forward and pecked the man on the cheek, earning a surprised look from the brunette. "I'm sorry I had to leave you so suddenly. The elders were being... difficult." Ayane's face scrunched up as he remembered the council meeting, but then softened as he nuzzled Majora's neck. "But I'm back now."

"I noticed." Majora's voice was harsh, making Ayane look up at him. He was greeted with an intense golden gaze that made him blush. Majora slowly inched forward, his eyes never leaving Ayane's, and then he softly kissed the younger man on the lips, letting Ayane pull back if he wanted to. But Ayane didn't want to. Instead he wrapped his arms more tightly around the brunette's neck, drawing his lover closer.

Majora was the first to pull away, his breathing heavy. "Ayane..." He groaned when the white-haired teen leaned in and nuzzled his neck again, "If we don't stop this... we're going to end up doing something we may regret..."

"The only thing I regret, Majora, is allowing you to walk out of this village two years ago." Ayane muttered, placing soft kisses against the man's collar bone, "I'm not that same child anymore, no longer afraid. This should have happened a long time ago..."

The brunette needed no further invitation. He captured Ayane's lips with his own, slowly pulling off the younger man's clothes. Ayane helped, shedding first his over shirt and then his undershirt, following with the sash that bore the Weeping Eye on it, and then his pants. He'd taken his shoes off earlier, discarding them at the door. Once he was completely undressed, Majora drew his lover into the tub with him, his mouth exploring Ayane's vivaciously.

Ayane moaned as his body came in contact with Majora's own slick one, his arms wrapping around the brunette's neck once more. He was sitting in Majora's lap, their mouths locked together. Majora rubbed his thumbs over Ayane's nipples, bringing them to hard points. The water splashed noisily around them as they tried to get as close as possible to one another. Ayane's hands dropped to the brunette's chest, gliding lower and lower until his hands came to the fine hairs leading down into Majora's groin. He ran his hand through the small trail, delighting in the groan that emitted deep from within his lover's throat.

Majora retaliated by breaking their kiss and trailed his mouth down to the younger man's collar bone. He bit the skin there softly, whirling his tongue along the bone, making Ayane's breath hitch. Ayane brought his hands back up to Majora's shoulders, rubbing his hands softly along the muscles of the other man's arms. Majora's mouth returned to his, then trailed up to his ear, biting the lobe softly.

"I can't hold on much longer, love. I want to be inside you..." He hissed, rubbing his cock against Ayane's opening. Ayane gasped, his stomach tightening as heat coiled in his groin. "I can't either..." He whispered, blue eyes closing languidly. "Please..." He moaned, rubbing himself against Majora. "I want you..."

The brunette reached his hand around, trailing it softly down the white-haired teen's back. He grabbed one of Ayane's globes tightly, groping it, before letting his hand slide down farther and rubbing the man's opening with a single finger. Ayane shifted, unused to the feeling, but Majora just leaned in and kissed him. "It may hurt for a few seconds." He warned, golden eyes showing his concern, "Or at least... that's what I've been told... But your body will grow accustomed to it... and prepare you for..." Ayane silenced him with a kiss, chuckling. "I've been told what happens, Majora. I can bear it. Just... do it."

Using the water in the tub as a sort of lubricant, Majora obeyed, slowly pushing the digit into his lover. Ayane gritted his teeth at the invasion, trying not to tighten as the finger pushed deeper into him. He let out a pain-filled gasp as Majora started to move it, but just nodded his head for the brunette to continue stretching him. Majora did so, though it was apparent from his face that he didn't like causing the younger man pain.

When Ayane got used to the first one, Majora pushed in a second, and then a third. Ayane moaned when those fingers touched something deep inside him, mixing the pain with pleasure. He started to slowly move against those fingers, seeking something more from them. Majora, however, had other plans. He slowly pulled the fingers out, ignoring Ayane's quiet whine, then grasped his own cock and positioned it at Ayane's entrance. Ayane shuddered once, feeling the huge length pressed against him, then let out a slow breath. He nodded, letting Majora know he was ready, and tried not to squeeze his legs closed as Majora started to fill him.

The pain came immediately, making Ayane want to cry, but he suffered through it. He whimpered as inch after inch was pushed into him, but always nodded for Majora to continue when the brunette would hesitate. Finally it was all in and Majora stopped to let Ayane get used to this new feeling. After a few seconds, Ayane drew in a breath and fixed the brunette with blue eyes. He wrapped his arms around Majora's neck once more, kissing the older man softly. "I'm ready." He whispered, smiling serenely.

Majora nodded and then slowly withdrew and then thrust back in. Ayane winced, but made no noise. Majora tried a few more times, readjusting himself each time, until finally Ayane's mouth formed a soundless "Oh." The last thrust had hit that small bundle of nerves inside of him, igniting Ayane's body with heat. He moaned as Majora thrust in again, harder this time, and clutched the brunette to him. His head fell to Majora's shoulder, his pants coming out harder now. He started to move his hips in time to the thrusts, driving Majora even deeper within him, his insides clenching down on the cock inside of him. The brunette hissed as he felt those hot inner walls clench around him, the action driving his own passion.

The thrusts came in quicker succession, both men drawing to their end. Ayane gasped, feeling the heat in his gut explode. He came, screaming Majora's name, as the brunette slammed into the younger man a few more times, drawing as much out of Ayane's orgasm as he could. He came as well moments later, tossing his head up in a low moan. He leaned back down quickly, thrusting one last time, and captured Ayane's lips with his own. They stayed like that for a few minutes, with Majora buried deeply within Ayane and their mouths interlocked, content.

Finally, after all of this time, they were one...

-0-0-0-0-

After that first night, the months flew by quickly. Slowly the villagers got used to the sight of the brunette and even started welcoming him into their lives. There were a few, however, that never really let their guard down around Majora. Tyr, the elders, and Eoroan were among the chief ones. Tyr had let it be known from the get go that he did not approve of Ayane's relationship with Majora, while the elders waited quietly in the background, their disdain evident on their faces. The hardest one to accept was Eoroan, who hadn't trusted Majora from the moment they'd found him in the cursed woods.

This, more than anything, hurt Ayane. He considered Eoroan to be one of his best friends and most trusted adviser. Eoroan had even told Ayane that he would accept his relationship with Majora, giving Ayane his blessing, but that seemed to have changed. Eoroan had withdrawn from him, his eyes hooded every time he so much as saw Majora.

Finally, Ayane couldn't take it anymore and cornered Eoroan alone.

"What is your problem, Eoroan?" He growled, glaring up at the taller man. Eoroan said nothing, his gaze contemplative as he stared down at his leader. Finally he shook his head and let out a sigh. "I don't like him, Ayane." He held up his hand to stop Ayane, who had opened his mouth to argue, "Let me finish, please. He's not the same, Ayane. The boy you knew isn't there. Something has changed in him, since his banishment to the Lost Woods. It's like... he's a sleeping lion, waiting for his prey to make a mistake... I don't like the way he looks at all of us, while watching you with a territorial attitude. I feel like... he's trying to take you away, somewhere far away, where I won't be able to reach you anymore..."

Ayane's eyes softened and reached over, hugging the older man. "You're wrong, Eoroan." He whispered, "Majora's still the same man I knew from before. He's not trying to take me away. He knows I have a duty to the clan, that I can't just up and leave... Give him a chance. For me. You'll see what I mean..."

Eoroan sighed, wrapping his arms around the smaller man. "I hope you're right." He muttered, red eyes gazing off into the distance. "Goddesses, I hope you're right." He saw the vision once more, saw his friend die, and closed his eyes, trying to block out the sound of his screaming.

But no matter how much he tried, he couldn't forget the sadness on Ayane's face...

After that, Eoroan hid his contempt for Majora, though the two never became close. Majora and Ayane's relationship continued to grow, until one night they decided to attempt the mating ritual. Tyr, of course, was against it, but could not fight the decision, and so was forced to go along with it, whether he liked it or not. The marriage, for that was what it was, in essence, would be conducted three nights from now.

-0-0-0-0-

Three days later...

Ayane paced back and forth, biting his thumb. It was the final night, the night of the ritual, and his nerves had finally given out. In less than an hour, he would be bound to Majora. They would go through an extremely difficult ritual, the success of which would bind him and Majora together for eternity. However, if it failed, then the two would be split apart and forced to find another. They had bet everything on this one moment. If it failed, then it proved that Ayane was wrong, that Majora was not the one meant for him, and thus that Majora was not supposed to be here. After all, Majora had only been allowed to come back because Ayane had sworn they were destined to be...

"Please goddesses..." He whispered, dropping to his knees as pain knotted his stomach. He couldn't bear it if Majora wasn't the one. Honestly, he wanted nothing more than to run to Majora and cancel the whole thing, say they needed more time. But Majora had been gone these last three days. The ritual required that they be apart for the three days leading up to the marriage, saying that it was bad luck to see the other before the destined day. Ayane could have cared less at that moment. He just wanted Majora here with him, wanted to talk him about what might happen...

He hadn't told Majora what would happen if they weren't meant to be. His father had come to him after the marriage declaration, a smug smile on his face...

_Three days ago..._

_Tyr walked into the room, smiling as he saw his son standing at the door to greet him. Ayane immediately decided he didn't like that smile, but returned it as was proper. "Father." He greeted, bowing his head slightly. Tyr returned the greeting, the smile never leaving his face._

_Ayane invited his father into the house and the two went inside to the kitchen area, sitting down at the table there. "Ayane, I have a message from the elders." His father spoke bluntly, feeling no need to be secretive about his coming. "Majora and you will be allowed to go through with the ritual. If you succeed in mating with him, both the council and I will stop contesting your decision about ending his banishment. However..."_

_His father stopped, his face taking on a grave look, but Ayane wasn't fooled. His father was trying to hide a smile, extremely happy with this next part. His stomach sinking, Ayane waved at him to continue, knowing he wasn't going to like what his father had to say next._

_"However, if the two of you should fail, not only do we require Majora's immediate departure, you must also wed Eoroan."_

_Ayane jumped to his feet, his chair clattering to the floor. "This is a disgrace." He snarled, glaring at his father. "How dare you come to my home, demanding these things of me? _Wed_ Eoroan? After failing to wed Majora, the one I actually love? Are you insane? And further more, to banish Majora? How dare you..."_

_Tyr also stood, his blue eyes stormy. "I dare because it is my right as your father. It is the council's right to demand that you attempt the ritual again with one of their chosen candidates if you should fail. We dare because it is our laws. And with your argument as to Majora... He was only allowed to come back because you swore that he was the one for you, your destined mate. We are giving you the chance to prove that now. If he isn't, he must leave. That is all."_

_"And if I refuse?" Ayane whispered, though he already knew the answer. Tyr looked at his son, suddenly looking old in the younger man's eyes. "Then you die." He spoke plainly, before turning his back to Ayane. "In three days time, we will see which of us was correct. Think hard on your decision, my son."_

Ayane slammed his fist into a nearby wall, tears of frustration welling up in his eyes. It wasn't fair... Why was it that every time he tried to do something right, another obstacle would appear in his path? Was this the goddesses way of telling him he was wrong, that he should just... give up? No, he refused to believe that. They had allowed him to become clan leader, knowing what he intended... But what if they'd done that, allowing him this short time of happiness because they'd known this would happen...? The evening bell rang, announcing sundown. It was time...

He straightened, fixing his rumpled clothes, and tried to calm his nerves. He would go through with this... and then he'd make his decision in the morning, depending on what happened. That's what he told himself, anyway, but it didn't stop his racing heart...

-0-0-0-0-

Majora shifted nervously from foot to foot, ignoring the people staring at him. He stood in front of the temple, waiting for Ayane to appear. Majora wore golden face paint that whorled below his eyes and streaked above his eyebrows. Golden triangles adorned his cheeks, the base starting near his ears and coming to a point just below the spirals under his eyes.

He was dressed completely in black, his feet bare in the cool evening air. He wore a long-sleeved, open-necked black shirt that was covered by a tabard of the same color. The outline of the tabard was embroidered with gold, as was the symbol of the bird on it. It was the symbol of the clan, later becoming the symbol of the Royal Family. Black pants adorned his lower half, with the sides of the pants being laced up all the way to his hip. A golden hoop glinted in his right ear.

He had almost given up hope that Ayane was coming when cheering erupted around him. The brunette glanced around, looking for the cause, and felt his mouth go dry. Ayane walked in the middle of his advisers, all of which were dressed in a soft gray. Ayane, on the other hand, was dressed completely in white, with silver spirals and triangles covering his face.

A long-sleeved white shirt covered Ayane's chest, lacing up the front. The sleeves were connected to the shirt by a thin strand of fabric, bearing a good inch of skin between shirt and sleeve. A sheer veil with small sapphires in it covered the lower half of the younger man's face, accentuating his ocean-like eyes. A sash of white covered his lower half, as well as pants of the same color. The sash was outlined in a deep blue, with the Eye of Truth, also blue, directly in the center of it. Silver bangles clinked around Ayane's wrists and ankles, his feet bare just like Majora's.

A collective silence filled the crowd at the sight of Ayane, who looked beautiful and ethereal in the rising moonlight. Ayane blushed, seeing their looks, but grew even more red when he saw Majora looking at him strangely. He suddenly felt apprehensive, wondering if something was wrong. He'd never seen the brunette look like that. Did he look bad in this ensemble? Goddesses, he had told Aeschere not to add the damn bangles! But now it was too late, he was already walking up the stairs of the temple to stand next to Majora. The brunette held his hand out to him wordlessly, that strange expression still on his face.

"You look beautiful." Majora whispered quietly, kissing his beloved's hand softly. Ayane blushed, realizing now that Majora's look had been one of awe. "You're exaggerating." He muttered, though he was happy that the brunette thought so. Majora just shook his head and smiled, turning to look at Tyr, who had just walked out of the temple.

Tyr betrayed none of his feelings to Majora, though Ayane could see the slight narrowing of his eyes. He acted like nothing was wrong and started the ceremony, bringing his hands up to encompass the air above their heads. "Goddesses, I come to you today to bring these two beings together. Ayane, my own son and bearer of the Triforce of Courage, and Majora, a member of the clan. We are here today to bind these two together and ask that you bless their union. By the grace of your mercy, let their love be long and prosperous."

"Courage, Power, and Wisdom to thee."

All repeated the last incantation, bowing their heads. Then Tyr turned first to Ayane. "Ayane, let the goddesses hear your pledge and judge."

Ayane swallowed hard, turning to look at Majora. He grasped the other man's hands, shaking. He didn't want to lose this man... "Goddesses, hear me. I pledge myself to his man, whatever may come. In life and in death, for eternity, my mind, body, and soul will forever be his, bound by the vow I make here today. No matter what lifetime, always will I find him."

"And I, too, make this same pledge, goddesses. I vow to love this man for the rest of eternity, with mind, body, and soul. I will find him in every lifetime, despite any hardship, and I will love him, as I should. We are bound by the chains of fate and destiny, and always will I be there to comfort and protect him." Majora said back, his voice deep and resonating. Ayane shivered, feeling a cold wind creep down his spine, but smiled at Majora despite it.

Tyr listened to their pledges, then cleared his throat. "Goddesses, hear their pledges and mark them well." He turned to the crowd now, holding out his hands to them. "We will now begin the ritual trial. Priestess Aeschere, bring forth the goblets."

Aeschere was quick to do so, bowing her head ever so slightly to her father and then to her brother. She winked at Majora, who smiled back in return, and then handed the two goblets to her father. both goblets were silver, with a golden Triforce decorating their surface. One held a red wine of some sort, while the other was clear. Tyr handed the clear one to Ayane and the red one to Majora, both taking it with their right hand.

The two men intertwined their right arms, hooking their elbows, and then raised their respective drinks in acknowledgment to the goddesses. They then looked to Tyr, who took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Now the trial begins. You have one night in which to prove yourselves to the goddesses. Go with Courage, Power, and Wisdom."

Everyone was silent as Majora and Ayane tipped their drinks. Both drank long and deeply from the goblet, until not a drop was left behind. The effect was instantaneous. Ayane dropped to his knees, his arms wrapped around himself. His face was flushed and his breath came out in pants. Majora dropped to his knees as well, though he did so out of concern for Ayane. He glared at Tyr, confused as to what was going on, but Tyr did nothing except stare at his son. "The test is begun." He whispered, before turning back into the temple. The rest of the villagers left as well, leaving Majora and Ayane alone.

With no one to help him and not knowing what else to do, Majora picked Ayane up and carried him back to Ayane's house. By the time they'd reached the house, Ayane was breathing normally again, though his arms remained around his chest. He was silent when they entered his home, wordlessly pulling himself out of Majora's arms and then standing somewhat away from the brunette.

"Ayane, are you all right?" Majora asked, golden eyes burning with confusion. Ayane slowly turned to look at Majora, whose expression went from confused to startled, then to confused again. "Um... why are you... uh..."

"A woman?" Ayane asked drily, uncovering his chest, which now sported breasts. "It's a part of the ritual." She continued, her face strangely composed, "One of us takes on the role of the female, so that we are insured to have a child. It's the laws of the clan, when two males want to become one, so that our line doesn't die out. As the clan's leader, I have to provide an heir."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Majora growled, frustrated. Ayane looked at him, frowning. "Because then you would have asked me not to do it... and I would have lost you forever. Majora, we have to conceive a child this night... or else they'll force us apart. I told you what would happen if we were found to be incompatible. The clan will force me to marry someone else, have their child, and we will never be allowed with each other again..."

"Dammit Ayane..." The brunette whispered, "I don't want to lose you, but... I don't know if I... I'm not..." Ayane reached over and grabbed Majora's hand, holding it up to her face. "Majora, I love you... and I don't want to lose you... Please... I need you to do this for me. I know you'll make a great father... Just trust me... all right?"

Majora still looked unconvinced, but he nodded all the same. He followed Ayane into her room, then slowly began to undress his wife. Ayane helped him, shrugging out of her clothes. Majora had to stop and stare at her new body, taking in the plush breasts and rounded hips, the triangle that disappeared in between her legs. Ayane looked away from that intense stare, embarrassed, then sucked in a breath when Majora brushed his knuckles across her nipples.

He pushed Ayane down into a sitting position on the bed, bending down to kiss his wife soundly, then pushed her farther down onto the bed, spreading out on top of her. He played with her breasts while she took off his clothes, her hand sliding beneath the waistline of his pants and stroking him. He bit his lip to keep from moaning as he tweaked one of her nipples, making her shiver. She stroked him faster, teasing the tip of his member, and pushed her leg up against his erection and teasing him with that as well. Majora just about came from that, so he grabbed Ayane's hand and pinned both it and the other above her head with one hand. He shoved his leg in between hers, effectively stopping his wife's assault, which made Ayane smile.

Then he started to torture her back. He kissed her again, probing her mouth with his tongue, then slid a hand down her stomach and in between her legs. He parted the smooth skin there, feeling that she was already wet, and ran his finger down her cleft. She shuddered beneath him, her breaths coming out in harsh pants. "Majora, stop... teasing me..." Ayane moaned, twisting beneath him, but she could not dislodge his grip on her. She continued to twist as he slid his fingers up and down, her juices slicking his fingers. Finally, he slid one finger deep inside of her, making Ayane arch her back. Another quickly followed and another, making Ayane wince as Majora began to stretch her. Soon enough, however, the pain faded, replaced with a growing warmth in her abdomen.

But Majora wasn't down with her just yet. He chuckled at the look on his wife's face, then slowly descended down on her. It wasn't until he removed his fingers that Ayane looked up to see what he was doing. "Wait, Majora, don't..." She squeaked, blue eyes growing wide, "That place is..."

He didn't listen and began to lick her down there, sending her nerves flying. She moaned and twisted, trying to get him to go farther inside, wanting to feel that delectable tongue inside of her. "Majora..." She begged. He freed her hands then, which she buried in his hair, urging him on. He didn't need to be told twice. He probed her with his tongue, sending more waves of heat to her stomach. She started moving her hips to match his thrusting tongue, but he soon withdrew, laughing at her when she glared at him.

Ayane started to growl at him, when she felt him press up against her. His pants were still fastened, but he was so hard that it was tenting his pants. Shaking, she undid his pants, letting him spill out, and then guided him towards her entrance. He laid himself out on top of her, bracing himself against the bed so that he didn't put all of his weight on her. Majora met her eyes, gold fixing on sapphire, then started to push himself inside.

It was like their first time all over again. Pain flared up inside of Ayane, who bit her cheek to keep from yelping. Majora moved slowly, pushing himself deep inside of her and yet trying to be as gentle as possible. Soon enough he was all the way inside and the two of them lay together, breathing heavily as Ayane adjusted. When she was ready she leaned up and kissed Majora on the mouth, with Majora deepening it as he pulled out and thrust into her again. It wasn't like when they were men. It still hurt, but already she could feel pleasure creeping up on her. She moved her hips in time to his thrusts, moaning as he brushed along her core.

"That's it, Majora." She moaned, "Just like that..." Majora complied, driving himself even deeper into his wife. She gasped and matched him for each thrust, wanting him as deep as possible. Their bodies tangled in the sheets, melding into one even as their breathing mixed when they went to kiss once more. The inferno they shared continued to heighten, their pleasure mounting with each passing second. Finally, Ayane felt the damn inside her break and she came with a scream, with Majora thrusting into her just as she orgasmed. He gritted his teeth as her warm cavern tightened around him, then came as well.

They lay there for several minutes, both of them breathing heavy. Neither knew what to make of what they'd just done... Finally, Majora pulled out of Ayane and laid down next to her. "Well... now what?" He asked, still gasping. Ayane said nothing in reply, just stared up at the ceiling. "I guess... we wait until morning?" She said, glancing over at him. "Unless you want to...?"

Majora thought about it, then shrugged with a smile. He pulled Ayane on top of him, grinning. "But this time you're on top."

-0-0-0-0-

Neither were entirely sure how long they went at it that night. At some point they fell asleep, only to wake up to the morning light streaming in through the window. Ayane woke up first, rolling out of bed, and went to the washroom. Majora was up next, when he heard Ayane let out a surprised yelp. He ran into the bathroom... only to find a naked, female Ayane sitting on the floor.

Ayane looked at her husband in surprise. "I... I didn't think... it would work..." She explained, still stunned. "I thought... I would be male in the morning and I'd have to leave you..." Tears gathered in her eyes. "Oh, goddesses... thank you." She stood and threw herself into Majora's arms, crying. "Thank you."

The news traveled quickly, with Ayane's pregnancy spreading quickly. The trial was as simple as this: If the partner remained female in the morning, then that meant the partner was with child and the goddesses had deemed the couple compatible. Meaning, Ayane and Majora were meant to be. No one could refute this, not even the council, and they had no choice but to accept Majora into the clan. It was one of the happiest moments in Ayane and Majora's lives...

To be continued...


	8. 7-5 - Becoming a Woman

Asura: Random in-between chapter at the request of one of my reviewers. It would be interesting to see what happened between Ayane and Majora before those three months passed. XD Hehehehehehe.

Becoming a Woman

By: Asura Mori

Two weeks had passed since the night she and Majora had gone to bed together, but Ayane was still adjusting to the life of a woman. There were a few things that bothered her about her new body, but first and foremost was...

Her breasts.

How the hell did women walk around with these things?! She glared down at her chest as she walked to the council meeting, growling when they bounced with every step she took. Not to mention that her back hurt – probably due to the added weight in her chest. What the hell was the purpose of these things, anyway? They were just globules of fat... not useful at all... well...

Her mind recalled a certain image of Majora using her breasts as grips in their lovemaking and she couldn't help but blush and stop in her tracks.

Okay, so breasts had some use... but they were still irritating. Then there was the added attention Ayane now got as a woman, due mostly to her breasts. Yes, she understood WHY men looked, but damn it all, they were HER breasts, not theirs. Stop looking, was all she wanted to yell, but she knew better. It didn't stop the scarlet scorch that dusted her cheeks when she saw men ogling her.

She clenched her fist in front of her, grinding her teeth as she started walking again. Goddesses above, men were idiots... and that was saying something, since she was originally a man. But still!

Ayane stopped walking again, looking up at the sky. She did like Majora looking at her breasts, though... and touching them... and... Oh goddesses, she was doing it again. She smacked herself lightly and continued to the meeting.

… Breasts were definitely a problem.

-0-0-0-0-

Majora found himself in a bit of a conundrum. He had been cornered by Leothe and Monan, with no escape in sight. He glanced around, still searching for an exit, but knew it was hopeless. He glanced back at the two women, who were approaching quickly, and silently sent up a prayer to the goddesses. This was it... This was the end...

"Damn it all, you two!" He finally growled, glaring at them. "Fine! I'll tell you!"

The two women grinned evilly and stopped approaching. Monan did a little dance, while Leothe crossed her arms over her chest. "Good boy." She chuckled. "Now then... how was it?"

"How was... what?" Majora asked, though his face was now burning. He knew exactly what they were referring to, but... "How was your first time with Ayane? Was it fun?" Monan asked excitedly, jumping up and down. She really was childish, but it fit her pixie-like image, thought Majora, before he focused back on the task at hand.

"That's... private..." he muttered, still blushing. "Oh?" Leothe asked, leaning forward, that evil grin still on her face, "We're just asking if you enjoyed it, that's all." Majora fidgeted, glancing around again for an exit. He really hated talking to these two. They always made him feel uncomfortable.

"It was Ayane... so... of course... I did..." He said quietly, his blush turning a deep scarlet. Monan let out a little squeal and threw herself at Majora, wrapping her arms around him. "You're sooooooooo adorable!" She chuckled, rubbing her face against his. Majora froze, unsure of what to do, and just stood there. Leothe laughed and came over, picking Monan up by the back of her shirt.

"Okay, okay. Enough teasing. I think we fried poor Majora's brain. Come on, come on." She said, dragging Monan behind her. Majora could hear Monan's protests even after the two had rounded the corner, but his mind didn't comprehend that they were gone until he couldn't hear them anymore.

Sighing in relief, he leaned back against the wall. Why did women think it was okay to talk about these things openly? It was between him and Ayane after all. Why did it matter to others if they had enjoyed themselves? Well, they had, but again... why was that any of their business...

Besides, nothing had changed in Majora's opinion. Ayane was Ayane, no matter what gender she was. He liked Ayane both ways... Then he blushed again when he realized he was contemplating all of this in a dark alleyway. He gritted his teeth and pushed away from the wall, putting his hands in his pockets as he started walking home.

… damn those women.

-0-0-0-0-

Ayane's back hurt even more after the meeting, which made the woman sigh in exasperation. She had only been a woman for two weeks and it was already hurting this much? Next thing she knew, she'd be crying all of the time and never want to leave home.

She growled under her breath, then sighed again. She needed a break, something to relax her. Suddenly she felt herself being lifted off the floor and turned to either side to see Leothe and Monan carrying her by her arms. "Wh-what?"

"We're kidnapping you." Monan announced in a sing-song voice. Leothe nodded with a grin. "You've been stressing yourself out, so we're here to abduct you."

Ayane could only let out a small whimper as she was dragged off to the bathhouse.

-0-0-0-0-

"This... is extremely... awkward..." Ayane muttered under her breath as Leothe and Monan stripped in front of her. Monan heard her, though, and turned to look at her, her chest completely bare. "Why's that?" She asked, humming softly as she bounced on her heels.

"B-because..." Ayane blushed and looked away. "I-I'm a guy..."

"Not right now, you're not." Leothe said, coming up behind her. Ayane couldn't stop herself and looked, then looked away. Leothe had an even bigger chest than she did. Goddesses, this was embarrassing... "Yes, but, I was..."

"Would you rather bathe with Eoroan and Sunnan?" Leothe asked bluntly, grinning despite the question. Ayane shook her head from side to side. "That would be worse..." she muttered, scarlet now. Leothe laughed and clapped Ayane on the shoulder. "You're a woman, for now. You'll get used to it."

Ayane could only nod as she followed them to the bath.

-0-0-0-0-

Majora had been similarly kidnapped by Eoroan and Sunnan, though why they would want his company was beyond him. Eoroan had become a little less abrasive towards him, it was true. And then there was Sunnan, who seemed not to give a damn either way. So, what could they possibly want from him...?

Eoroan saw his confused look and laughed. "Ayane's been kidnapped by Leothe and Monan for the night. So, we thought we'd do the same and do some... reconnaissance." Majora was still confused. "Reconna-what?" He asked, much to Eoroan's delight.

"Oh, Majora..." The white-haired man shook his head, draping his arm over Majora's shoulders. "So young and innocent. Don't worry, we'll help you with that." Sunnan let out a laugh at that and shook his head, but didn't argue with what had been said.

"It is a passage that all men must go through." Eoroan continued. "And Sunnan and I" here he grabbed Sunnan dramatically and threw his arm around him as well, "will be more than happy to induct you into manhood." Sunnan again shook his head, but now he was grinning. "It _is _pretty life changing." The darker-skinned man agreed. Majora could only look at them, still confused.

The three men headed towards the bathhouse and Majora couldn't help but have a feeling he was going to end up regretting this...

-0-0-0-0-

"So, Ayane... how was your first time as a woman with Majora?"

Ayane sputtered in the water as she stared wide-eyed at Monan, who was now giggling. "Don't be so surprised." The pink-haired girl continued, "Of course we'd ask. We're your friends."

The white-haired girl settled back down in the water, letting it slip just over her mouth and under her nose. She blew a few bubbles, thinking, before she sat back up. Her face was red again as she glanced to the side.

"It was... it was nice." She mumbled. She ignored the fact that Leothe and Monan had scooted closer, though her blush deepened. "He was very... gentle. And caring."

"And? Did you guys go all night? Or did you stop after the first time?" Monan asked, staring at Ayane wide-eyed. When Ayane hesitated, Monan did a little pout, her bottom lip trembling. "You're older than me, Ayane, and Leothe hasn't found her mate yet, so you're the only person I can ask..." Her bottom lip trembled a little more and Ayane wondered if Monan was going to cry. She couldn't bear the thought and held her hands up in surrender.

"All right! All right! Fine!" Ayane slid her hands back under the water and tilted her head to the side as she contemplated how to phrase her next words. "At first... we were going to stop, but... we didn't know if once... was enough..." She was blushing again, she could feel it. Monan was looking at her with a child-like expression, her gaze full of wonder.

"So, you had sex all night... did he cuddle with you? Did he whisper in your ear?" The list of questions just kept going on and on. It was gonna be a long night...

But one question in particular had her gaping like a fish. Leothe was staring at her, grinning that Cheshire grin. "Wh-what...?" Ayane asked, though she had heard the first time.

"I said," Leothe drew in a breath, that grin still on her face, "How big is he?"

Ayane had a feeling she was gonna faint.

-0-0-0-0-

On the other side of the bath, Majora was trying not to turn crimson. He glared at Sunnan and Eoroan, who were giggling silently. Majora turned back to look at the wall, his ears glowing. Dear goddesses... why was Ayane telling them these things?! He'd never be able to look at these people in the same way! And this latest question... oh goddesses...

He let his head drop into his hands and let out a low moan. He'd never be able to live this down. He glanced back up when he felt someone tugging on his hair. Eoroan sat behind him. Once he had Majora's attention, Eoroan pointed over at another section of the wall and motioned for Majora to follow. Shrugging, he follow the other man over to where Sunnan was already sitting and... looking... at something...

"... What are you doing?" Majora asked, seeing Sunnan's dazed look. The red-head just waved him over and offered his place to the brunette, who took it with some hesitation. He looked back at Sunnan and Eoroan, who waved him forward, and slowly placed his face against the wall where a small hole was.

A naked Ayane stood across from him, her breasts being handled by Monan, who was griping about how she'd never be as big in the chest as her leader. Majora jumped back with a yelp, landing on his butt. "Wh-wh-wha-?!" He shot a hectic look at Sunnan and Eoroan, who were doubled over with quiet laughter. "What the hell is this?!" He demanded quietly, grabbing Eoroan by the front of his shirt. Eoroan calmed down enough to give the brunette a conspiratory wink.

"Exactly what it looks like. The girls are bathing, so... we're enjoying the free show." Eoroan purred. "It's really the only time we can get away with it." Sunnan added, his dark skin considerably darker around his cheeks. "Oh goddesses..." Majora moaned, "Ayane's gonna kill me..." Eoroan patted him on the shoulder. "Only if she finds out..."

"Only if I find out... what, exactly?"

The three men turned, an icy wind chilling their hearts as they turned to see Ayane, dressed only in a towel, standing on top of the wall, glaring down at them. Eoroan and Sunnan both paled and started to back away. Majora could only stare in horror.

Their lives were so over...

-0-0-0-0-

"I'm telling you, it wasn't like that!"

Ayane ignored Majora as she walked home, her arms crossed over her chest. Eoroan and Sunnan were one thing, but Majora? She couldn't believe he'd come and peeked in on them in the bath! She stopped then and turned to glare at her husband, who shuffled his feet and averted his gaze to the ground.

"I swear to you, Ayane, I didn't know what was going on! They told me they were going to 'induct me into manhood' and then dragged me there!" Majora's voice was plaintive, begging forgiveness for something he'd unintentionally done. "And you didn't think that wording odd? 'Induct you into manhood'? You should have known that Eoroan and Sunnan were up to no good!" Ayane slid a hand through her damp hair, trying to calm herself down.

She knew it wasn't entirely Majora's fault. All young men did it, at one time or another. Hell, Ayane herself probably would have done it, if she hadn't become a girl so quickly after her eighteenth birthday. But facts were facts – Majora had seen other women, besides Ayane, naked.

And that bugged Ayane.

Eying Majora, Ayane hugged herself tighter and bit out the question that had been bugging her ever since she'd found Majora peeking at her and the other two women. "So... did you... enjoy seeing Leothe and Monan naked?" Majora's head shot up faster than a bullet and he stared at his wife in shock. "Did I what?"

"You heard me."

"Oh goddesses... Ayane, you know I don't love any one other than you!"

"That's not what I asked you!" Ayane shifted uncomfortably, then looked Majora squarely in the eye. "Did you enjoy seeing them naked?" Majora just stared at her, then slowly began to shake his head 'no.' "It wasn't... the same." He muttered, looking at the ground, then back up at her. "They were too... different. Not you. Leothe was too... big... and Monan... well, she didn't really have... anything... I like you, the way you are. No one is better than you..."

Ayane blushed and directed her eyes to the ground. Of course Majora loved her... She had just been afraid that he would... look at someone else and think them more attractive... she had been...

"Are you... jealous?" He asked suddenly, seeming surprised at his own question. Heat flared into Ayane's face and she acted instinctively when he began to approach her. She shoved him back. "O-of course not! Me, be jealous? That's ridiculous." She turned on her heel and headed back towards the house, then stopped just as abruptly.

"But... I am... kind of happy... that you like me, even though there are... prettier women..." Ayane said, without turning around, then she ran back to the house. Majora just stared after her, not moving, then let out a sigh and followed after him, much more slowly.

Women were so complicated...

-0-0-0-0-

~Later that night~

"So, you really aren't mad at me?" Majora asked, combing his fingers through his wife's hair. She 'hmm'ed in contentment, nuzzling closer to his chest as he did so, but didn't answer. Her husband waited patiently, his fingers gentle as he brushed her hair. "I'm not mad, no." She finally answered, "I am mad that Eoroan and Sunnan tricked you into going and I am upset that you saw Leothe and Monan naked, but..." She leaned up and kissed him lightly on the nose, "I also know it wasn't entirely your fault."

Majora got real quiet then and Ayane wondered if it was something she'd said. Then he spoke up, his words hesitant.

"If you want... you could... look at Eoroan and Sunnan... naked... if you want..."

The effect was immediate. A crimson scorch lit up Ayane's cheeks as she slapped him upside his head. "Majora, you... you... you idiot!"

To be continued...


	9. End of a Dream

End of a Dream

By: Asura Mori

Time passed quickly, with days turning in weeks, weeks turning into months. Ayane's stomach continued to expand and Majora watched with pride as the life he helped to create grew. He could be seen every day by his wife's side, supporting her with his strength and presence. Ayane's advisers were always nearby as well, to protect and serve as duty and friendship required.

Life was quiet and peaceful, with the occasional outside disturbance from the monsters. The villagers had slowly begun to accept Majora as one of their own, with even Tyr grudgingly coming to accept the brunette as his son-in-law. Only Eoroan remained on guard, ever vigilant. He could not forget his vision, the dark future he had seen. And with every day that passed, his sense of dread continued to grow.

And so he watched, until a day came that changed everything that he and the villagers had ever known... Threatening their very way of existence...

-0-0-0-0-

Mutters of outrage and shock filled the council room, all eyes fixated on the standing Ayane. Even her advisers looked at Ayane with surprise, a mixture of confusion and disbelief written all over their faces. Only Majora, who was sitting to Ayane's right, remained where he was, a smug smile on his face.

After the initial shock had worn off, one of the elders stood, his tone confused and soothing. "Ayane, could you repeat what you just said? It must be my old age kicking in, but I'm not entirely sure I heard you correctly. You want us to...?"

Ayane glared at the councilman and had to bite her tongue, or she would have growled at the man. She knew damn well that he, and everyone else in the room, had heard her, else she wouldn't have gotten the reaction she did. But she forced herself to calm down and take a deep breath, wincing as the action caused her back to hurt. Three months had already passed since she'd lain down with Majora. Her body was already beginning to submit to the pains of carrying a child within her.

However, no matter how much pain she was in, she could not afford to show weakness in this.

"Councilman, you were not mistaken in your hearing." Ayane finally answered, ignoring the pain, "But I will repeat my words for those of you who did not hear. I wish to extend the hand of friendship to our neighbors in the south and the east, the Zoras and the Gorons."

Behind her, Sunnan let out a hiss of disbelief. Ayane turned to glare at him, then returned her attention to the men and women seated before her. She held out her hands to quiet down the mutterings that followed, before continuing. "This alliance is needed for our continued survival, councilmen. In the past few months, we have seen an increase in the number of monsters around the area. So, too, have their attacks on our village increased. Already, we have lost five of our men to these monsters, and the death toll will continue to rise. More and more monsters continue to stream in as the days go by. Soon, they will have a big enough force to wipe us out completely."

She took a breath and brought her hands down, clenching the table in front of her with them as another wave of pain coursed through her frame. Majora reached over, without a word, and squeezed her hands lightly, giving his wife the strength to continue. She glanced over at him with a smile, then returned to the matter at hand.

"We need allies. The Gorons and Zoras both are fierce warriors... and are close enough to offer us assistance. We could call our own allies to the front, our clansmen, but they will not reach us in time. It will take them _months _to just prepare for war, even longer to actually set out and reach us. We would be annihilated by then."

"So I call you all to action, councilmen, and demand that the matter be voted upon. Our style of life depends on the outcome – nay, our very existence. I call this matter to a vote immediately. What say you?"

Ayane sat back down as the deliberations began, sweat beading her brow. Majora grasped her hand under the table, his golden eyes worried as he gazed at his wife. She looked at him and shook her head, telling him that she was okay, just a little worked up. He didn't believe her, but knew better than to question Ayane in public. To do so would undermine her authority and, possibly, sway the vote in a bad direction.

From behind Ayane, the advisers stood still and quiet, each troubled with their own thoughts. But the most prominent thought between all of them was why Ayane had not consulted them on this matter. Ayane was supposed to listen to them and take their advice on all matters. Yet, she had acted alone in this. Why...?

It was a question that bothered all of them, especially Eoroan. Looking between Ayane and Majora, Eoroan thought he knew why, though he did not like it.

Many hours passed and finally the council came to a decision. The twelve members placed their votes, with Ayane's vote being the deciding factor. The die was cast, with the vote ending at 5-4, in favor of the alliance. The motion passed and the council adjourned for the day, each member who had been present thoughtful.

The end of an era had just been witnessed. Now, all of them wondered, what would this new era bring?

-0-0-0-0-

Sunnan cornered Ayane after the meeting, blue eyes furious. "How could you even considered making an alliance with those animals!" He growled, grabbing Ayane by the shoulder and shaking her. Eoroan stepped in and intervened, grabbing the darker man's wrists and forcing him back. He also looked at Ayane, however, wanting an answer.

And in the back of his mind, he once again saw that bloody scene, watched Ayane die. The Gorons and the Zoras had been present in that premonition... Time was moving too quickly...

"Ayane, why did you not inform us of your ideas?" Eoroan asked, crimson eyes betraying his hurt. Underneath the hurt, however, was a hint of panic and fear. Too fast, time was moving too fast. The war was upon them and Ayane's death loomed closer with every passing second. Why had Ayane chosen to do this now? He looked to Majora, wondering if this was somehow the brunette's fault, but then shook his head. No, the idea sounded too much like Ayane's own. She had always gone her own way...

Only this time, it would end in her death.

"We are your advisers, Ayane. Yet, you chose not to consult us in this... Why?"

Weariness made Ayane slump her shoulders. She waved in Sunnan's general direction, then looked at Eoroan, her blue eyes dark. "For exactly that reason. I knew how you all would react, how you would try to divert me from my chosen road. We cannot afford any more delays. Already our people are dying... We cannot afford to be picky in our alliances."

Sunnan growled, crossing his arms over his chest. "I refuse to work with those animals. I would rather die." Even before he'd finished, Ayane was already moving. She crossed the short distance between her and Sunnan, then slapped him hard. A loud crack split the air as her hand came in contact with his face and everyone in the group looked on in stunned silence. Disbelief coloring his face, Sunnan lifted a hand to his cheek and stared at his leader in shock.

"Then you will die." Ayane hissed, her face growing pale. "You will die and nothing will be gained. Release your hatred and racism, Sunnan, or you will die like a dog. The fighting may not have yet begun, but make no mistake, we are at war."

She looked at each of them in turn, her face grim in the afternoon light. "None of you may agree with my decision – that is fine. I do not expect you to change generations' worth of beliefs in one day. However, I do expect you to look at this logically. If we refuse to change our ways, we will be annihilated because of our stubbornness. I would rather let go of years of hatred and alienation than let our women and children be slaughtered for such a petty reason as hate."

Ayane winced, her hand shooting to her stomach as the baby kicked. Majora was at her side in an instant, supporting her as she fought to continue standing. Eoroan looked on with a pained expression, his fists clenched tightly at his side. As much as he wanted to go to Ayane's side, he knew that it was Majora's place, not his own. But oh, how he wished it was his...

Bringing herself under control once more, Ayane regarded her advisers again. "Regardless of your beliefs, I will go to the Gorons and the Zoras in a week's time. Tonight, I will look at my options and decide which of you will accompany me on this mission. Two of you will stay behind to help the elders protect the village, while the other two will go with me..."

Majora began to lead his wife away, a clear dismissal in his actions. Eoroan watched his three companions turn, each with their own thoughts, but he remained. "Ayane." She turned to look at him over Majora's shoulder, blue eyes questioning. "I wish to speak with you..." Ayane started to nod and motioned Majora back towards Eoroan, but the white-haired guardian put his hand up. "Just you." Ayane seemed to debate about this, then turned to speak quietly with Majora.

It was obvious from Majora's expression that he didn't like the idea, but he nodded his head in understanding and went off a fair distance, giving Ayane and Eoroan privacy. Ayane regarded Eoroan for a few seconds, her eyes turning a dark blue. Eoroan watched the change with interest, knowing it meant that Ayane was thinking, trying to figure out what it was that he wanted with her.

"Ayane..." He paused, trying to figure out an easy way to say what it was he wanted to say, but couldn't find a nice way to say it. So, he settled for being blunt. "I don't think you should accompany us on the trip to the Gorons and the Zoras."

As expected, Ayane's eyes flashed with a dangerous light and she started to open her mouth, but Eoroan raised his hand to stem the teen's angry response. "Hear me out, please. I'm not commenting on your abilities to pull off this mission. It is your current condition that worries me."

"While I am aware that you are not very far along in your pregnancy, it is quite obvious that you are already having difficulties carrying. I think such a journey would only increase your hardship and make it harder for you to give birth."

Ayane closed her mouth and looked at the ground, deep in thought. Finally, she looked back up and answered Eoroan, though he hadn't really asked a question. "I appreciate your concern, Eoroan, but I cannot stay behind." She raised a hand when Eoroan began to speak, cutting him off. "If I do not go, then the Gorons and the Zoras will never trust me or our clan. By not going, it would seem like I place no importance in this alliance. I could not stay behind, even if I wished to."

"But surely they would understand, given that you are with child-"

But Ayane was already shaking her head, a sad smile on her face. "No, they would not understand. In the case of the Gorons, they respect only strength. Saying that I could not accompany my own emissaries because of a little pain would only make them lose faith in me. As for the Zoras, they respect only wisdom. I would not be showing my wisdom by staying behind. I would be showing cowardice, as they would take my staying behind as an insult to them and this alliance."

Eoroan ground his teeth in frustration as Ayane smiled at him, wanting nothing more than to sweep her up into his arms and lock her in the temple once more. He wanted to scream at the goddesses. For what had they given him the vision, if not to warn him ahead of time so that he could _save _Ayane? Did they not want him to do that?

As usual, the goddesses were silent and he cursed them for that.

"Eoroan, I must go. If I thought there were any other way, I would have suggested it already. Deep in my heart, though, I know I must go." Ayane's lifted her right hand to brush her fingers along her left, tracing the outline of the Triforce there, her eyes following the path with a deep intensity. "I cannot fight the call of the goddesses, Eoroan. In my dreams, I see a future in which our three races intermingle freely, without hatred and suspicion. It is a beautiful thing, one that I will have a part in creating."

Gritting his teeth, Eoroan bowed his head. "I understand." He muttered, then he swept Ayane up in his arms, his heart hammering deep within his chest. But honestly, he didn't understand. He couldn't understand why the goddesses wanted this alliance. And all he could see was the darkness looming on the horizon, coming ever closer, and threatening to take Ayane away form him forever.

He ignored Ayane's whispered concern, hugging the young woman tightly. "Don't go where I can't reach you, okay?" He muttered, feeling Ayane relax in his grip. "I didn't plan on it." Ayane answered, leaning into his shoulder. They stayed like that for a few minutes, both lost in their own thoughts, unaware of the jealous glare Majora was sending their way.

-0-0-0-0-

Majora watched the conversation from a distance, slowly growing more and more agitated with each passing second. He started pacing, like a lion caged against his will. He hated moments like this when Ayane wasn't by his side the most, when his lover went off with another person. Yes, he understood that it was Ayane's duty to speak with her people...

But that didn't stop the jealousy. Especially where Eoroan was concerned.

He stopped his pacing and let out a small growl. Ayane was HIS wife, dammit. Anything that she was asked, he should have been a part of – nothing should keep them apart, nothing should take Ayane from his side. The fact that it was Eoroan this time around... had nothing to do with his growing anger...

Nothing at all...

The brunette turned just in time to see Eoroan sweep Ayane up into a hug. They shared a whispered conversation, one that had Ayane smiling serenely, and Majora felt his heart throb. Jealousy flared deep within him, an ugly darkness rearing up in his mind. Ayane was his, dammit... Ayane was his... AyanewashisAyanewashisAyanewashis-

A hand on his arm made him come back to reality, the darkness popping like a bubble into nonexistence. He looked down to see Ayane staring back up at him, a worried expression on the young woman's face. "Are you all right?" She asked softly, her blue eyes wide. Majora felt himself relax and a smile stretch his face. Honestly, he wasn't entirely sure why he'd gotten so angry, why he'd gotten so possessive... After all, Ayane WAS his. He had nothing to worry about...

He shook his head, still smiling, and hugged his wife. "Let's go home, beloved." He whispered, feeling Ayane nod in response. The two set off for the house, the mood peaceful. And yet, in the back of Majora's head, a quiet, seductive voice continued to mutter, feeding the young man's fears and doubts. And try as he might, Majora couldn't ignore it completely.

-0-0-0-0-

Majora stared at Ayane in disbelief. They had just sat down for dinner when Ayane had shared her decision about the mission with him.

"I am going to take Eoroan and Leothe with me. You, Monan, and Sunnan will remain behind to protect the village."

"Why?" The brunette stood, staring down at his wife, "Why must I stay behind, Ayane?" The stirrings of anger began to build in his heart, jealousy taking root. "Why not leave Leothe, or _Eoroan, _behind and take me instead? I can be just as useful to you as either of them..."

Ayane sighed in response, massaging her forehead. "I'm taking those two because I need their skills. Leothe is strong – she will prove useful with the Gorons. And Eoroan... Eoroan is quick. I will need his speed with the Zoras. You, I need here to keep Sunnan and Monan in check... especially Sunnan. He was already unhappy with my leadership, even before this. Now I have added fuel to the fire with my proposal of an alliance. I fear that he may try to challenge my authority and usurp me... And I cannot fight him, not in my current state."

She paused, wincing, and then continued. "I would like nothing more than to take you with me, Majora. To have you by my side, as you have always been, would bring me no greater joy. But I need you here, my husband, to be my strength and control the clan while I am gone. The task I give you is anything but easy... But I have faith in you and your abilities."

His wife smiled at him, her blue eyes full of trust, and Majora felt his anger waver. This was unlike him, he knew, but somehow he couldn't seem to help it. Anything concerning Ayane lately was able to set him off, that damned voice in the back of his head egging on his more aggressive side.

That voice scared him more than anything else. It was seductive, promising him power, but always, always speaking his fears and doubts out loud, and it brought out a darker side of him. A side that was slowly growing stronger every day. There was no doubt within his mind that it would grow worse with Ayane's departure, short as it was, and that was what scared him most of all. The complete loss of control. Ayane seemed to be able to keep it at bay most of the time, but Majora sincerely feared that it wouldn't always be enough...

He looked at Ayane, wondering. If he told her the truth, would she delay her trip to the Gorons and Zoras? But the real question, he knew, was could the clan afford such a delay? It was true that the monsters were growing ever stronger, amassing more and more forces every day... Majora knew, without even really asking himself, that the clan wouldn't survive if they had to wait much longer. And so, he did the only thing he could do.

"I understand, beloved. I will stay behind." Majora answered, forcing himself to smile. But underneath his calm demeanor was that shadow of doubt, of fear. Without a doubt, he was beginning to slowly lose himself, just like his mother before him. And with those words, he set upon the path that would irrevocably seal both his and Ayane's fates.

-0-0-0-0-

Eoroan helped Ayane onto her horse and then proceeded to mount his own. Leothe was already upon her own mount, silent as she waited for her companions. Dawn was just breaking over the horizon, highlighting the earth in light pinks and oranges.

Majora stood with the rest of the clan at the gates, waiting to see them off. Sunnan was glowering, still unhappy with all of this, with Monan glued to his side. She was rubbing her face against his shoulder, a cat-like grin on her face as he tried to shrug her off, but to no avail. Majora stood in front of them, his arms crossed and his golden eyes fixated on Ayane.

His gaze slowly went to Eoroan, who, sensing his gaze, turned in his saddle to look at him as well. An unspoken message passed between the two of them...

_Three days earlier..._

It had been four days since Ayane's announcement for peace negotiations with the Gorons and the Zoras. There was still so much to be done, but Ayane had grown fed up with packing and planning. So, she and Majora had gone to their favorite spot in the entire world – the cliff overlooking the sea. Majora would have been content to spend time with Ayane... if Eoroan hadn't been with them.

With the growing number of monster sightings and attacks, the council had deemed it necessary for Ayane to constantly have a guard when going outside the village. While Ayane didn't think it absolutely necessary, she couldn't come up with an adequate reason for why not to have a guard. So, Eoroan had been put on guard duty, much to Majora's dismay.

The brunette glanced back at Eoroan, who stood guard at a respectful distance from where they were sitting. The white-haired man wasn't close enough to eavesdrop, but he was close enough that if something were to happen he could immediately jump into action. Majora gritted his teeth and returned his gaze to the ocean. While he understood the reason behind Eoroan's being here, he didn't appreciate this slight on him. By sending Eoroan they had shown that they didn't think Majora powerful or experienced enough to protect Ayane from some measly monsters.

And that pissed him off.

He let out a sigh and leaned back on his hands, not realizing that Ayane was watching him. She gazed at him with a sad, but knowing look, and let loose her own silent sigh. When would the council stop their games with Majora? Hadn't he proven by now that he deserved their trust, that he was of them? Were his actions still not enough? It disturbed her that they could be so close-minded, but there was little she could do about it.

Ayane looked at her husband out of the corner of her eye, seeing his troubled countenance and wishing that she could take away all of his pain. She reached her hand out, lacing it with Majora's, and smiled at his surprised look. She scooted closer to him, leaning her head on his shoulder. He remained stiff for a few more seconds, then slowly relaxed and put his other hand in her hair, stroking it softly. They sat like that for a few minutes, just enjoying the others' embrace, and stared out at the sea.

"... I don't want you to go." Majora murmured softly, kissing the top of Ayane's head. She didn't reply, just continued to look at the sea. "But I know you must." He sighed, his hand stopping its ministrations and wrapping around her shoulder. "And I will miss you the whole time. Just... be careful, please?" She smiled and nodded, snuggling closer to him.

"I love you, Majora."

"And I you, beloved."

She looked up at him, her soft blue eyes glittering in the rays of the sun, and slowly leaned forward to kiss him lightly on the lips. Majora accepted the kiss, then blinked in surprise as Ayane pulled back and stood. "I'll be right back." She promised with a wink. "I need to take care of... some things." With that she wandered over to the forest, waving Eoroan away when he started after her.

The look on Eoroan's face would have been priceless if Majora hadn't been wearing the same expression. They both looked at each other and shrugged, then looked away from one another when they realized they were thinking the same thing. Not only that – Ayane had left them alone together, knowing they really didn't get along.

'Awkward' didn't even begin to cover it.

Silence reigned between them for the longest time, before Majora finally sighed and stood, scuffing his boot in the dirt as he continued to face away from Eoroan. The adviser just waited, knowing Majora had something to say to him, but not wanting to rush the other.

"... Take care of her, okay?" Majora suddenly said, so quietly that Eoroan wasn't even sure he'd spoken until the brunette turned to look at him, his eyes pleading. Eoroan blinked, surprised, but forced himself to nod. "If anything were to happen to Ayane... I don't know what I'd do. Goddesses above, I probably wouldn't have anywhere to go, no point to live. So please, Eoroan... protect her. Don't let her do anything stupid or reckless."

Majora looked down as soon as he was done, his face extremely red. Eoroan continued to stare at him, blinking rapidly. He had never seen this side of Majora. And that's when Eoroan knew – Ayane meant everything to Majora. He would do anything for Ayane, even live in a world where no one accepted him, just so he could stay with Ayane.

And Eoroan could only respect that. For Majora to ask this of him, a man he pretty much hated... it had taken a lot for Majora to do that. He smiled and looked at the ground as well, closing his eyes in quiet remorse. How could he ever hope to beat that sort of dedication? He had lost this round.

"I will... I'll protect her and bring her back to you. I swear."

The two shared a quick smile, then turned away from one another when Ayane came rustling back through the undergrowth. They would never speak of this again – especially to Ayane.

_Present..._

On their horses, the three turned to look at the gathered crowd and waved their goodbyes. Majora stood slightly apart from the rest, his golden eyes fixated on Ayane's retreating form. He clenched his hands tightly at his sides. Sunnan glanced his way, a small smirk lifting his lips, but otherwise said nothing. At his side, Monan was jumping up and down, waving sporadically, her eyes glittering with excitement. Most of the rest of the crowd was the same way, except for Tyr, who watched in silent contemplation. He turned before Ayane and her advisers had even crossed over the hill, his back turned to them. Unseen by all, he let a small smile cross his features as he slowly made his way home.

Aeschere watched him go, a quiet smile on her face as she watched her father walk away. "Go with courage, my brother." She whispered, looking back to where her brother had long since disappeared. "Go with the blessings of the goddesses."

-0-0-0-0-

Majora separated from the crowd as quickly as possible, needing to breathe. Letting Ayane go had been a lot harder than he'd thought it would be, but a part of him was glad she wasn't alone. The other part cursed that it was Eoroan who accompanied her, but he also realized that Eoroan was one of the few who wouldn't let her come to harm. In this he was torn, but he forced himself to reconcile with it. He had been asked to stay behind for a reason, to safeguard Ayane's rule. And he would meet the challenge with open arms, his spear blazing a trail if the need should arise.

Smiling slightly to himself, he turned to return home, only to find Sunnan in his path. The darker skinned man watched him with quiet intrigue, his arms still crossed over his chest. Seeing that he now had Majora's attention, Sunnan approached. Surprisingly, Majora could find no hint of hatred in the young man's gaze. It was respect he saw there, as well as hesitance. But it seemed that the redhead had overcome his hesitance, for he started to speak.

"Majora... I know it may seem odd that I approach you at this hour, so soon after Ayane has departed. But I felt that I must make my concerns known to you." He paused, waiting to see Majora's reaction, to which the brunette waved him on.

"Do not get me wrong. Ayane has my respect, but I do not believe she can change our people so easily. We are a stubborn race, though misguided, and have a strong tendency towards racism." Majora began to speak, but Sunnan plowed on, his words somewhat frantic now. "Majora. Like you, I too am different from most here."

Sunnan raised his hand to his hair, pushing it back to expose his ears. They were round. Majora's throat suddenly felt dry as he beheld this, then he was angry. He began to open his mouth again, but Sunnan put out a hand, staying his words. "The only difference between us is that my mother was the 'outsider,' not my father. Apparently it is acceptable for our men to have outside liaisons, but not our women. If not for that, I would have been just like you, an outcast..."

Majora couldn't find his voice. It was just as Sunnan had said, after all. They were essentially the same, the only difference being their parentage! He could feel twin pinpricks of water threatening to fall from his eyes, but forced himself to calm. He looked at Sunnan, really looked at him, and muttered, "Why are you telling me this?"

"So that you understand that I am completely and utterly on your side in this. This council of ours – look at what they've done. Ayane is trying to change how our clan works, but she still has to abide by the council's decision in most cases. They only let her retrieve you because they could not deter her from her course. She was chosen by the goddesses – your marriage to her was even ordained by the triad! But they still have the majority rule on their side. In this, Ayane's authority over the clan is weakened."

"What I'm saying is essentially this: The council – their system – should be abolished. It should be power that determines the course of our clan, not the wisdom of some old goats. If power had been the determining factor, you never would have been banished."

Majora could only stare at Sunnan, amazed at hearing his own thoughts being spoken by another. He couldn't even formulate an argument, he was so stunned. Taking his silence as agreement, Sunnan slowly stepped back, offering the brunette a slight bow. The dark-skinned adviser left without another word, leaving Majora to his thoughts.

Realizing that he was now alone, Majora turned to leave as well. His mind still reeling from what he'd just heard, he entered his house and went directly to his bed. He lay there, staring up at the ceiling.

And he continued to think.

-0-0-0-0-

_Wisdom – it is for fools who do not have power. Courage – you cannot have courage, if you do not have power. What is a man with courage, if he does not have the strength to back it up? What is a man full of wisdom, if he cannot act on his ideals? _

_Power is the ultimate aspect, for it relies on nothing. You do not need wisdom or courage to have power. Therefore, it is the strongest. Why shouldn't power rule over the other two? Why shouldn't it be the determining factor for most things? Why?_

_WHY?_

Majora let out a low moan in his sleep as laughter rang throughout the room, but did not wake. He did, however, cringe and toss about, his sleep disturbed. The voice let out another burst of laughter, then quieted to a soft chuckle.

-0-0-0-0-

Ayane stared up at the night sky, her eyes locked with the moon. Eoroan and Leothe sat off to the side, talking quietly amongst themselves as their campfire burned. They had traveled most of the day, coming almost to the base of the mountain where the Gorons lived. Later, this area would be known as Kakariko, but for this day and age, it was deserted.

She lay on her back, her arms beneath her head. The child within her stirred restlessly, refusing to be quieted even when she placed a hand upon her stomach. This only added to her unrest as she stared up at the moon, her thoughts on Majora. A feeling of dread had been following her ever since they'd left, though she could not name a reason for it. Sighing, she turned on her side, facing away from both Eoroan and Leothe.

Eoroan watched her, his crimson eyes dark with concern. He knew where her thoughts were focused and wished he could alleviate some of her distress, but didn't know how to do so. Seeing his hesitance, Leothe smiled and stood with a groan. She went over to Ayane, placing her hand upon the white-haired girl's shoulder. Ayane turned to look at her, first with confusion, then with a smile.

"He'll do fine. Have faith." Leothe whispered to her lady, making Ayane blush slightly. Ayane smiled then and thanked her quietly, before turning back on her side. Leothe smiled as well, her eyes kind as she looked down at her master, then went back over to Eoroan. She winked at his astonished look, then proceeded to go to sleep as well. Eoroan looked between the two women, his gaze incredulous, then he shrugged and also laid down. He would never understand women.

Ayane listened as they went to bed, calmed somewhat by Leothe's words. She could not, however, fully erase the darkness that clouded her mind. Something was wrong, she knew. She didn't know what, but there was definitely something lurking on the horizon. Right now it was just peeking over it, but soon, she knew, it would engulf them. She could only hope that they'd be ready for it.

Still uneasy, she nevertheless went to sleep. Her dreams were dark that night, though she could not recall their content the next morning.

To be continued...


	10. Strength of the Gorons

IMPORTANT: I have made some changes to the previous chapters that should probably be read and noted. ^_^; I realized that I forgot some things and that I should probably put them in. Hehehe. Sorry about that. READ ON!

Strength of the Gorons

By: Asura Mori

In the morning the three travelers decided their course. They would continue on to the mountains of the Gorons, then to the rivers of the Zoras, and then travel back home. Although she understood the importance of her mission, Ayane couldn't help but want this journey to be over and done with. In her heart she knew that something was wrong, but she had no idea what it could possibly be. Nor did she share her fears with her advisers, though they had picked up on her dark mood and worried for her.

Her mood was lightened when she felt her child kick from within and she allowed herself a smile. Everything would be all right, she told herself. This, at least, quieted the voice of worry in her head, but nothing could erase it completely. There was something at work in the world, she knew, and no amount of reassurance could calm her completely. The best thing was to hurry and return to the village.

"Come on!" Ayane said suddenly, startling both Eoroan and Leothe from their contemplations. "We ride for the mountains this day!" She drove her heels lightly into her horse, urging it into a run, and her advisers were hard pressed to catch up with her in those first few minutes. She laughed, feeling the wind in her hair and hearing her advisers' frantic calls for her to wait.

This was living and she meant to enjoy it... no matter what.

-0-0-0-0-

They made good time that day. However, they were stopped abruptly halfway up the mountain by two Gorons. They stood blocking the path, both with their giant arms folded in front of their chests.

"Halt!" One shouted and the party obeyed. "Who are you to enter the lands of Beorthne without summons?"

Ayane slowly moved forward, her voice ringing clearly through the gap between her and the Gorons. "I am Ayane and these are my advisers, Eoroan and Leothe." She pointed to the two respectively behind her. "We are here to speak with your leader."

The two Gorons looked at one another, one of them shrugging at a silent question, then they turned back to Ayane. "Dismount and we shall escort you. This mountain is treacherous and full of loose stones. We would not want a guest to be thrown from their horse."

Nodding, Ayane started to dismount, but winced, and the Gorons got their first look at her stomach. They both started forward to help her, but Eoroan was already at her side and helping her down. He looked at her in worry, knowing that it was odd for her to be in so much pain, but also knowing that it wasn't his place to question his leader. Ayane nodded her thanks and strode forward, Leothe and Eoroan right behind her.

"All right. Lead us then, friend Gorons."

-0-0-0-0-

It took the better part of the day to traverse the mountain, but eventually they did come to the dwelling of the Gorons. At first Ayane and her guardians were hesitant to go into the earth, but Ayane quickly got over it and followed their guides. Eoroan was the least enthusiastic, though he tried not to show it. He hated being confined and this underground cavern proved to be one of the worst experiences for him. He just couldn't get over the fact that the earth was all around him, suffocating him, and that it could just collapse upon him. Needless to say, he was very pale compared to the other two.

The group was led through an immense cavern with many tunnels leading off to goddesses know where. By the time they got to the main cavern, they couldn't have gotten back to the surface even if they wanted to.

Eoroan tried not to think about it.

Situated at the very bottom of the room was a throne built of mostly reddish-colored rocks. It didn't look very comfy and the Goron sitting on it didn't seem very happy. In fact, he looked extremely gruff and was about two times as big as the Gorons who had led them here. He shifted in his throne with a grunt and said something to the two guides in a rocky and gritty language that none of Ayane's group understood. Then he turned his gaze on them, his beady black eyes narrowing as he took in their appearance.

"Humans..." He growled, though his voice was much quieter than Ayane had expected from some a large Goron, "Why have you come here talking of 'friends'? You are no friends to us, human. What is it you seek from Beorthne, king of the Gorons?"

Ayane stepped forward, ignoring the snort of disdain Beorthne let out. She knew without a doubt that he thought little of her, especially in her current pregnant state, but she couldn't allow that to hinder her here. "My lord, my name is Ayane." She spoke clearly and confidently, noting that Beorthne's gaze had once again narrowed. So, he was listening at least and now knew she meant business. "We have not come here to quarrel, but to form an alliance. For many generations, our two people have been at war or ignored one another. However, I do not think this benefits either one of us."

Ayane paused to see if she still held Beorthne's attention. He was still watching her, his black gaze contemplative. Taking a breath, she continued. "The world has continued to change while we remain stagnant. The monsters still plague the land, wiping us out one by one. If we continue on in this way, we will all cease to exist and our people annihilated. For this reason, I have come here to propose a truce."

Beorthne remained silent for a while, his eyes never leaving Ayane's. Finally he let loose a chuckle, then a roaring laugh. "Woman, you amuse me." He smirked, leaning back in his throne. "You say we should join together to destroy the monsters, so that our races may survive – but what do humans have to offer the Gorons? What then do the Gorons have to offer the humans? You have spoken nothing of this."

"We can establish trade between our two races." Ayane said, not backing down. She held his gaze, her blue eyes glittering. "We can provide you with tools, clothing, and food, while you can provide us with weapons and armor. We can help each other, but only if we are willing to put aside years of hate."

"... And what do you bring to the Gorons now, to prove your willingness for this alliance?"

"We bring with us the strength of our arms and the hand of friendship." Ayane stated, her head held high. Again, Beorthne studied her, a huge grin forming on his face. "Very well then." Bowing his head in acknowledgment, the Goron rose from his throne and approached Ayane. "It is your strength that shall be tested then. Call upon your champion and let us test thy mettle."

Letting out the breath she'd been holding, Ayane turned to look at Leothe, who grinned and popped her knuckles. Seeing her choice, Beorthne let out a laugh and called out in his own language. A Goron roughly about the same size as the king strode over to stand before Leothe, towering over the small blonde. Ayane and Eoroan followed Beorthne out of the ring and up to the next level, taking seats next to the king.

Beorthne looked over at Ayane discreetly, gauging her expression. He must have liked what he saw because he smiled, but otherwise gave no indication of his thoughts. Eoroan watched this with interest, then turned his attention back to Leothe. While he didn't doubt his friend, he was worried for her. Her opponent was pretty built, after all, while Leothe was thin and wiry.

Then he remembered her weapon of choice and grimaced. She could wield a huge great sword with a single hand and wave it about like it was as light as a feather. Yep, she was a monster all right. He was no longer worried.

With a single command from Beorthne, the challenge commenced. The two combatants immediately began circling one another, their hands outstretched in a grappling grip, their legs bent and braced as they sized one another up. The Goron let out a snort and looked over at his king, a cocky smirk upon his face. He apparently thought little of his opponent. Leothe did no such thing, her face surprisingly blank as she surveyed the Goron.

They continued to circle each other for a few more seconds before the Goron made his move. He moved surprisingly fast for such a big guy and he was on top of Leothe in the blink of an eye. However, all he grabbed was air. Leothe had dodged at the last second, ducking her shoulder in and side-stepping to the right. Her opponent continued past her and she threw her shoulder into his chest, using his momentum against him to propel him out of the ring.

Silence greeted this conclusion. Leothe stood in the ring, her opponent flat on his back and a look of shock on his face. Roaring laughter broke the silence and everyone jumped, then turned to stare at the source. Beorthne had stood up from his seat, his laugh resounding through the cavern. Finally he calmed and turned to look at Ayane, who was looking up at him.

"You have proven yourself to us, human. Aye, you shall have your alliance and we are all the better for it!" He turned to the grouping of Gorons, his voice ringing out. "Tonight we feast and celebrate our new found allies!" A cheer met this declaration, making Ayane smile.

"It has been a long time since my son, Da'en, has been beaten in combat. But he is taking it very well, considering." Ayane looked back up at Beorthne, who was watching his son with fondness. Leothe had extended her hand and helped her opponent up, the two of them laughing and shaking hands. "I pray this alliance lasts for generations to come, Ayane." The Goron king looked over at Ayane, his dark eyes glittering, "Our two races have much to offer one another, it is true. And so I hope for a world where we can interact without war, where we can live in peace. And so I will help you, brother."

It didn't surprise Ayane that the Goron knew her for her true gender, but still she had to ask, "How did you know? That I was a man, not a woman?" Beorthne laughed. "You don't carry yourself like a woman, at least not like any that I've met!" He glanced over at Leothe, then back at Ayane, "And if your women are like the two of you, then you are strong allies indeed! I would not want you as enemies!" He laughed and patted Ayane on the back gently.

"Tonight we feast as allies and friends. Tomorrow you shall continue on your way to the Zoras. Because if your words are true, we will need them as well, which I have no doubts that you have already realized." Beorthne's gaze darkened. "This world has been enveloped in chaos. If we are to survive, then we must come together. I believe this as well, though it took your coming to show it to me." The Goron forced himself to smile, lightening the mood. "But that doesn't matter! For now, let us eat and tell stories! Tomorrow is for the darker things."

Ayane smiled and nodded, in complete agreement. They would worry about the rest tomorrow. For tonight, at least, they would relax.

-0-0-0-0-

_Back in the village..._

Majora stood outside of his house, looking up at the moon with a blank expression. Clutched loosely in his hand was a spear, its tip bloody from a battle earlier that evening. Tearing his gaze from the moon, Majora slowly started inside, his gait uneven and his eyes dark, dragging his spear behind him.

As soon as he got inside the brunette dropped the spear and started to undress, his mind a jumbled mess.

_He flinched as the moblin's spear barely missed piercing his chest, only to have to jump back as a wolfos hurled itself over Majora's fallen allies, its teeth flashing in a snarl. Behind him, a Stalfos rose from the earth, its eyes gleaming with the fires of hell and its mouth opening impossibly wide as it smiled._

_And in the middle of it all, a small Skull Kid shivered, his hands grasped around a tiny wooden flute..._

Majora gasped as it suddenly became too hot in the room. He suddenly felt trapped, his eyes darting here and there as he frantically searched for an escape. Why was he here, fighting against his former friends? What was it all for? An image of Ayane came to him and he fell to the floor, his shoulders shaking as he held his head in his hands.

He pulled himself into a ball as he sobbed softly, rocking back and forth. And all around him echoed that damn voice in his head, laughing at him as he fell into a fitful sleep, dreaming of Ayane and that Skull Kid.

"_You're breaking, Majora... You're breaking." _Taunted the voice, but Majora was already asleep.

To be continued...


End file.
